Polwarth!! I Need Your Help

[Shandapanda]

First off hello, I hope your doing well.
You have helped me with a lot of my questions.
I am asking you because when you give an answer your detailed.
I need to know if you have any idea where to start when trying to trace my last name.
I know it comes from Scotland I am now trying to find out all the little details.
If you know a web site I could go to I would really appreciate it.
Thanks Shanda

[Polwarth]

I'm fine thanks, and getting ready for the Christmas/Hogmanay break from work..... YIPPEEEEEEEEEE

I'd like to help you.... but I need a little info - such as the surname you are intending to research! Dates would also be helpful!!

The basic advice that is given to people who are not Scots, but think they may have Scottish ancestry is as follows -

Start with your parents generation. Trace back from them, through your grandparents, then their parents and so on, back to the original immigrant to your country. From that point, you might be able, via passenger lists, immigration lists etc, to find out where in Scotland (and this might be via Ireland and 2 or 3 or more generations!) he/she originated. From that info, you might be able to get further via Old Parish Records etc.

Anyway, if you give me a surname, even if I'm unable to help, I am sure others on here would be only too pleased to help

[Shandapanda]

My last name is Church.
I had some dates but I am unable to find them.
maby 1600's or earlier the paper told me that the name came from one of two origins, a person who worked in the church or someone that lived close to a church and helped out in the church but was not clergy?
Oh! the spelling might have change.
I am not sure of that.
Thanks for anything you can come up with.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Shanda