Two families of the same name challenge. I can't find a connection.

[Braytons]

This is a question really of statistics.  What do you think the chances of two families with the same surname, born in Cambridge and Norfolk respectively are related?  I have spent weeks trying to find a connection.  I have a dna match via Ancestry to one family.

Do you think that it's a just coincidence of names? 

Is there somewhere I can discover the frequency of the surname Mayes?

Thank you all. 

Braytons

[Ruskie]

This is handy to check distribution of surnames:
http://gbnames.publicprofiler.org/
(it is giving me an error message at the moment though).

You could look for the surname on a census or two to see how many results you get. You could try various searches such as exact spelling, surname in one or both locations etc.

It is possible that there were variations in the spelling of the surname.

Could be a co-incidence of surnames or maybe the connection goes further back than you are able to trace. 

[Ruskie]

Here is another one:
http://named.publicprofiler.org/

Out of curiosity, I tried searching for Mayes in the 1911 census, and there are 5,005 individuals with that surname. In the 1841 census there are 1,346.

[Braytons]

Thank you Ruskie. 

I am glad you are getting the same error message for gbsurnames, wondered if it was me.  I will try the other link.

Your idea of checking the numbers is good.  I compared Mayes and Smith.  On Ancestry 1911 Smith males was 358,136.  On the other hand I did the same with my husband's surname the total was 127! 

So Mayes isn't all that rare.  Thank you for your thoughts.  I think you might be right about the records connecting might be too far back.

Braytons

[Ruskie]

Presumably this is an autosomal DNA test? If so what is the estimated relationship between your family and your 'match'?

[Braytons]

Presumably this is an autosomal DNA test? If so what is the estimated relationship between your family and your 'match'?

Hi

Yes autosomal, this is the closest relationship copied from the match.

"Possible range: 4th - 6th cousins

Confidence: Extremely High 

Shared DNA: 65 cM across 6 segments"

Braytons

[Marmalady]

In Lincolnshire there are two groups of families with the rare surname of Northing (with earlier variants in at least one of the branches of Northern / Northen). Genealogists from both groups have been trying to find a link between the two for many years -- without success

[Braytons]

In Lincolnshire there are two groups of families with the rare surname of Northing (with earlier variants in at least one of the branches of Northern / Northen). Genealogists from both groups have been trying to find a link between the two for many years -- without success

Ah that's enlightening.  I did wonder.  I did a same thing with the two families with the surname Christmas living in Surrey and couldn't find a relationship.  Thank you.

Braytons

[melba_schmelba]

This is handy to check distribution of surnames:
http://gbnames.publicprofiler.org/
(it is giving me an error message at the moment though).

You could look for the surname on a census or two to see how many results you get. You could try various searches such as exact spelling, surname in one or both locations etc.

It is possible that there were variations in the spelling of the surname.

Could be a co-incidence of surnames or maybe the connection goes further back than you are able to trace. 

GBNames has been offline for at least a month , I emailed but got an error from the email server too - it appears to be run by some people from UCL.