UK Surnames website

[Darcy]

Hey Bob,

I was having a go on your surname site. Tried Fisher - forget it! Shepherd - forget it ! - thousands of them.

Worked my way through my surname interests until I got to Worrall. Do you believe just 22 of them!?

I checked the British white pages and there they were - all where I  needed them to be - in Lancashire -and Ashton-under-Lyne and Dukinfield in particular.

Now, I'm a bit of a shrinking violet -  but taking courage from Fitty's attempt on the phone I composed a letter, picked one Worrall at random, and posted it before my courage failed me.

It's thinking about photographs you see.... the thought of a photo of my great grandparents will inspire me to incredible lengths.

Here's hoping!!
Darcy

[Berlin-Bob]

Darcy,
That is marvellous, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you !

[Hackstaple]

When I was living in South Africa I played chess from time to time against a chap called Ken Worrall. He was from the Manchester area by  his accent but I never asked him exactly where he was from. This was about 1976 or so.

[Darcy]

Thanks for that Hackstaple

As yet I haven't had a reply from the Worralls I contacted -but I live in hope!

Darcy

[Nick Carver]

Used to work with John Worrall. He had a northern accent and at the time (10 years ago) lived in Woodcote in Oxfordshire.

[Darcy]

Hi Nick 

Thanks to you and Hack I know the Worralls are out and about somewhere! Wish I could meet up with one of them.

If I ever hear from the Worralls I contacted in Lancs. I will let you know.

Thanks again

Darcy

[Nick Carver]

Just out of curiosity I did a Google search on Worrall. The response might seem to indicate that 22 Worralls in the UK is a little on the low side. There were at least a dozen names of UK Worralls on the first two pages I checked (including academics at Durham and Reading Universities, whose e-mail addresses are given). In your shoes, I'd be tempted to fire off a speculative note or two, given the anonymity of e-mail.

[Darcy]

Nick,

funny you should mention about the supposed low number of Worralls. I was having a look at the 1881 & 1901 census and can't understand where they all went to.

Even given that half of them were female and changed their names it's still a huge drop.

Maybe there was a mass exodus via migration 

I wish I had the nerve to send emails - I'm hopeless!!

Darcy

[Bee]

Hi Darcy,

Don't know if it's of any help but there is  player by the name of Brian Worral playing for the Blackburn Hawks ice hockey team.

Ice hockey is my other life outside of family history.

Bee