The German software developer Christoph Stoepel has developed an interactive online map with Geogen that shows the distribution of surnames in Germany. We’ll tell you how the tool works.
Have you ever wondered where your last name originally comes from or in which regions it is particularly common? With the Geogen web application you can find out exactly that. An interactive map makes it possible to find regional focal points of your origins without complex family trees. The name Geogen stands for geographical genealogy, which describes location-specific name research.
The software developer Christoph Stoepel started the project in 2004 and has been continuously developing it ever since. When you access the website, the name “Stoepel” appears as an example in the input field at the top left.
Instead of wading through historical documents, the application shows you the spatial distribution of family names on an interactive map. Conspicuous clusters can provide clues to the origin of a name or to historical migration movements.
Geogen: How does the last name map work?
The application works immediately in your browser and does not require installation or registration. After accessing the page, you can type any family name into the input field provided. The program then determines the distribution of the name and displays the result in the form of a three-dimensional bar chart on a map of Germany.
The height of the individual columns indicates how many people with this last name live in the respective region. The map can be tilted with the mouse to better identify regional focal points. In addition to the graphical representation, the tool provides you with statistical information such as the nationwide rank of a name.
A common name like Müller occupies first place and ensures that the map is colored almost across the board. Additionally, Geogen displays similar or related name variants as well as different spellings in the lower right corner. This makes it clear how names differ regionally or historically.
Limits of digital genealogy research
For a detailed analysis, you can switch to a flat overview by district. This allows you to choose between absolute or relative values, which relate the frequency to the number of inhabitants. In addition, large city names can be displayed to make orientation on the map easier. This view is suitable for direct comparison between metropolitan areas and rural regions.
Geogen does not replace classic genealogy research with archives or personal registers. The tool also does not provide individual kinship records or complete family trees for your family. It is used to reveal geographical patterns and provide clues to the origin of a family name.
The visual representation and easy operation are the focus of the application. In addition to the German version, Christoph Stoepel also runs Geogen Austria for the distribution of family names in Austria.
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