Based on my family's surnames, where do we most likely hail from?

Question

This is so sad, but I've got no idea as to what my heritage is. Neither do my parents, and my grandparents are not around to answer.

Some surnnames on my father's side of the family are Gilbreath, Mcspadden, and Crafton. I've Googled them, but I've not found anything that talks about their origins.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

You could always search the Ellis Island records. You could see what countries, the people with those names, came from. It's a free search. I know before I had to subscribe but that was also free. They show you the actual sheets that had the immigrant's name's on.

Answer 2

that is very sad - how about asking some uncles or aunts?

I think it is a mixed group of names. For example Gilbreath sounds Scottish - but of a preceltic name, but Crafton is not at all Scottish or Irish. It is more of a Anglo-Saxon (germanic) name, and McSpadden sounds Scottish.
Maybe these links might help you

Answer 3

Scotch, Irish and English

Answer 4

British Isles, probably Scotish. Have you tried the Mormon geneological site? It's free and they have a HUGE database.

Answer 5

Maybe the surnames are derived from (or "corruptions" of) other names.

I have no idea what those original names might be, but maybe you can figure it out.

God bless.

Answer 6

sounds galic to me. but with out a real trace i would say somewhere in the british isles. ireland scotland wales somewhere around there.

Answer 7

If you are willing to pay a little bit of money, there are sites that research surnames.

A couple are:

www.searchforancestors.com
www.myroots.com
www.thetreemaker.com

Answer 8

New England.

Answer 9

sounds irish.