Source:Guild of One-Name Studies

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The Guild of One-Name Studies is the world's leading organisation for one-name studies. A one-name study is a project researching facts about a surname and all the people who have held it, as opposed to a particular pedigree (the ancestors of one person) or descendancy (the descendants of one person or couple).

The Guild is a charitable organisation dedicated to promoting the public understanding of one-name studies and the preservation and accessibility of the resultant information. Founded in 1979 in Britain, the Guild has members all over the world, and is widely recognised as a centre of excellence in one-name studies.

The Guild brings together those with an interest in one-name studies and other forms of surname study (such as DNA projects). Many members register a surname so as to embark on a Guild-recognised one-name study and coordinate world-wide activity in studying the surname. Only one person may register a specific surname, but membership of the Guild is open to all with an interest in surname studies, and is not restricted to those who wish to register a name.