The RootsWeb Surname List (RSL) is a dynamic and valuable tool to locate others working on the same family. Hosted by RootsWeb, it is a database of more than 725,000 surnames and has been in continuous operation since 1988. Over 75,000 researchers have contributed, and an average of 700 new names are added daily.

The searchable list includes the surname, locality, time period being researched, and contact information for the researcher. It can be accessed through the World Wide Web or by email. You can contribute your own surnames and benefit from having literally millions of people know which family lines you're working on.

To try the RSL via the World Wide Web, you need to enter a surname in the search, an optional location, and choose whether you want exact spelling, Soundex equivalent, or Metaphone search. Soundex returns a list which includes other surnames in the same Soundex category. Metaphone, on the other hand, gets you a list with "sound-alike" surnames included.

A fictitious return, using my pseudonym "BlueBlood" would result in the following:

Surname	From	To	Migration	Submitter	Comment
BlueBlood	1790	1830	London,ENG>SC	beetle	I want my emigrant!
BlueBlood	1500	1600	ENG	blue2	Illegitimate royalty.

The 'Submitter' column would actually link you to contact information for the researcher, including their name, email address, and postal address. You may also find a more detailed description of their research interests for the family line.

Selecting Soundex search returned an additional 25 records, including the surnames Bailey, Bellflower, Belfield, and Belville. Metaphone, however, yielded no results.

Ready to try it yourself? The search form, courtesy of the wonderful folks at RootsWeb, is included here:

Searching the RSL via email is almost as easy, and can provide you with multiple surname searches at the same time all in a single pass. Send an email to rsl-search@rootsweb.com. Be sure each surname is on a separate line in the message. I submitted five names and within minutes received 16 separate email messages in return detailing the results of my query. Next time, I think I'll limit my request to the one or two names I am working on at the moment. The only drawback to submitting via email is that you don't get the email addresses of the researcher in your search results, but rather their nametags. I'll have to visit the Internet site if I wish to contact one of them.

For more information on RootsWeb and the RSL, visit RootsWeb or go directly to the RSL page. To submit your research names, you need to login by providing a "nametag" and password for yourself, an email and street address, and your surname information on the Interactive Data Edit / Submission Form.