Before The Doomsday Book

[LucasKernan]

Hi. Was there anything before the Doomsday book (1086)? Was it possible to trace ancestors predating that?

Thanks.

Lucas

[Kiltpin]

Only if they were royalty, nobility, or very rich. Otherwise no. 

Regards 

Chas

[Rena]

Hi there,

According to my school teacher back in the 1940s ; we are all descended from royalty.  Presumably this was due to peasants dying in the thousands during wars, and droughts, etc.   Those who manage to get further back in time are the ones who have found early Wills made by businessmen and farmers, especially those farmers who not only rented fields but also owned fields.   Don't dismiss the maternal lines as Clergymen and Army officers often married into a moneyed family.

I've not come across your surname "Kernan" before, but I have heard of "Kiernan", which is an Irish Gaelic surname.   You might find it useful to surf for the "origins and meaning of" your surname.

.The surname of KERNAN was derived from the Gaelic MacTighearnain, a name meaning 'Lord'. They were a Breffny sept whose name is usually spelt as Mac Ternanin in County Leitrim.

Kiernan is a boy's name of Irish origin. Traditionally used as a surname, Kiernan means “son of a lord.” The name is an adaptation of the anglicized MacKiernan which translates to “Kiernan's son.” In medieval times, the Kiernan clan lived throughout the west of Ireland, where the name still lives on to the present day.

Best Wishes,
Rena

[GR2]

The Domesday Book is actually before the Domesday Book. That is because it constantly tells you who held the areas of land 'TRE' - Tempore Regis Edwardi = in the time of King Edward i.e. before 5th January 1066.

[Rena]

I'm reminded that I have a line with the surname "Dodson".   I am making the assumption that it could have been passed down from a listed Abbot/monk with the given name of "Doda".

I've now visited one of the new Domesday book websites and see that some words have been updated, for example the old name "serf" is now the more modern word of;  "slave".

[Top-of-the-hill]

  The Domesday Book was mainly a survey of land ownership before and after the Conquest, made principally so William knew what the country was worth to him. Only the principal landholders at the time are named (Mainly the Bishop of Bayeux in this area!).

[Ruskie]

What dates are your earliest ancestors? Have you tried a simple Google search of names and and dates? There are quite a lot of trees online so you might get lucky, although checking accuracy could be difficult.

Simple answer to your question is “yes”.

[garden genie]

Lucas, try here for an overview -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descent_from_antiquity

For considering the possibilities of genealogy at that period I remember being told 'Think how many people were on William's side at the Battle of Hastings - then remember that only about a dozen can be proved to have been there'

[Redroger]

My surname as Leofman is in the Domes day book on Hayling Island?. I have got back to 962AD as moneyers to the King. No proven connection before 1776 though