Overview
Surname Origin is a public reference library for surname meanings, origin groups, spelling variants, and related research notes. You can browse the site without creating an account or submitting personal information.
Information We Collect
The site may collect standard technical information through server logs, analytics tools, and security systems. This can include browser type, device type, referring page, approximate location, pages visited, time of visit, and similar usage data.
If you contact us by email, we receive the information you choose to send, including your email address and message content. We use that information to review, answer, and manage your request.
Analytics and Cookies
Surname Origin uses Google Analytics property G-1LEGZKQTQ8 to understand aggregate site usage, such as visits, page views, search interactions, and general site performance.
For visitors detected in the United Kingdom, European Economic Area, or Switzerland, Google Analytics remains blocked until the visitor accepts analytics. Visitors can reject analytics and continue using the complete website. Elsewhere, analytics loads by default unless a previous rejection is stored. If regional detection fails, analytics remains blocked and the privacy choice is shown.
Advertising storage, advertising user data, advertising personalisation, and Google Signals remain disabled when Google Analytics is enabled.
Advertising and Cookies
This site may display advertising. Advertising partners and third-party vendors, including Google, may use cookies, pixels, device identifiers, or similar technologies to serve ads, measure ad performance, limit repeated ads, detect invalid traffic, and personalize ads based on visits to this site and other websites.
Google's use of advertising cookies enables Google and its partners to serve ads based on visits to this site and other sites on the Internet. You can opt out of personalized Google advertising through Google Ads Settings. You can also learn about broader interest-based advertising choices at AboutAds.info, Network Advertising Initiative, and Your Online Choices.
Consent Preference and Browser Storage
Surname Origin stores the analytics choice, consent-policy version, and time saved in local browser storage for up to 180 days. If analytics is enabled, Google Analytics may set first-party cookies such as _ga and _ga_*. The Privacy settings control in the footer reopens the choice. Rejecting after analytics was enabled changes the consent state, removes accessible Google Analytics cookies, and reloads the page without Google Analytics.
Regional Check
The regional check requests Cloudflare's same-origin diagnostic endpoint and reads its two-letter country result. Surname Origin does not store that result. Cloudflare already handles site requests as the delivery and security provider.
Third-Party Services
The site loads the Grow/Faves engagement service separately from the Google Analytics choice. Grow/Faves may provide its own privacy or consent controls. The site may also use third-party services for advertising, hosting, security, and performance, and it links to external archives, dictionaries, and research pages. Those services and websites are governed by their own privacy policies and practices.
Data Sharing
We do not sell personal information that you send to us by email. Standard technical, analytics, and advertising data may be processed by service providers and advertising partners that help operate, measure, protect, or monetize the site. We may also disclose information if required by law or necessary to protect the site from abuse.
Data Retention
Analytics, server log, advertising, and security records are retained according to the settings and business needs of the services that process them. Email messages are retained only as long as reasonably needed to respond, keep correction history, or manage site operations.
Your Choices
- You can adjust cookie settings in your browser.
- You can use the advertising opt-out links above to manage interest-based advertising choices.
- You can use browser privacy controls, private browsing modes, or tracker-blocking tools where available.
- You can contact us to ask about a privacy request related to an email you sent to us.
Children's Privacy
Surname Origin is a general-audience reference site and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as the site, analytics tools, advertising partners, or legal requirements change. The latest version will be posted on this page.
Contact
For privacy questions, contact us at [email protected].