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This is a major reference work on the distribution of English and Welsh surnames, locating county-by-county homes of familiar and characteristic surnames. The main body of the work, consisting of nearly 400 pages, is devoted to a detailed examination of the names with the greatest incidence in each locality. Arranged county-by-county, except for Monmouthshire and Wales, which are treated separately, the names are listed alphabetically and brief notices are given for each, indicating, in most cases, where and when each name flourished, the residence of the family, variant forms of the name, its origin, etc., along with genealogical and biographical data about prominent persons of that name. For ready reference, the work is preceded by a "General Index of Family Names," containing about 5,000 entries, usually with multiple references. In addition, the work contains a 128-page "Alphabetical List of English and Welsh Names," listing about 5,000 surnames with the names of the counties of greatest incidence and the numbers proportional for every 10,000 persons. There is also an appendix containing an alphabetically arranged listing of Scottish names.