Have you ever stopped to think about the meaning of your surname? Where did it come from? What is its geographical, cultural or even historical origin? For many people, a surname is more than just a simple identification. It carries the trajectory of a family, transmits values, connects generations and holds clues about the past.

Fortunately, with advances in technology, it is now possible to make these discoveries easily and for free, through applications created especially for this purpose. In this blog post, you will learn Two of the best free apps to discover the history of your last name: the FamilySearch and the Ancestry. Both are available for Android and iOS, and offer complete tools for those who want to delve into the world of genealogy.

If you want to know more about your origins, create a family tree or simply discover interesting facts about your family name, keep reading.

Why research the history of your surname?

Researching a surname is a way to reclaim your identity, understand your family roots, and build a stronger connection with the past. A surname can often reveal an ancestor’s profession, the family’s place of origin, a striking physical characteristic, or even an important historical event.

More than just curiosity, this type of search helps build a sense of belonging. Knowing where you came from is one of the most meaningful ways to understand who you are — and the apps we’ll introduce below make this possible with just a few taps on your phone.

1. FamilySearch – A Global Historical Archive at Your Fingertips

THE FamilySearch is one of the most comprehensive genealogy apps in the world. Created by a non-profit organization linked to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the app offers free access to billions of historical records, including information on surnames, birth, marriage, death, immigration certificates and more.

Main features:

• Search by last name: Discover the origin, meaning and where the surname is most common.
• Creating a family tree: Register your family, connect names and dates, and track the growth of your tree.
• Access to historical documents: Search databases with real records from different countries.
• Collaboration with other users: Connect with distant relatives and share information.
• Simple interface in Portuguese: Ideal for beginners and enthusiasts.

When you enter a surname, the app shows relevant information such as regions of greatest occurrence, linguistic variations and even changes over time. Based on this data, you can start to build your own family tree and, who knows, even find distant relatives.

Best of all? The FamilySearch is completely free. Just create an account and start exploring. It is available on Google Play Store and in Apple App Store, with frequent updates and support in multiple languages.

2. Ancestry – A Deep Journey Through Your Roots

THE Ancestry is one of the largest genealogy research platforms in the world. Although it has paid plans, the free version of the app offers valuable features for those who are just starting to explore the history of their surname.

Free features:

• Search by surnames: Research and discover the origin of your family name.
• Viewing geographic distribution maps: See where the surname is most common in the world.
• Interactive family tree: Start recording your family's information, even if you have little information.
• Access to limited records: Consult historical documents such as immigration, birth, and marriage records.

The differential of Ancestry is in your large global database, with records spanning centuries and continents. Even in the free version, you can find rich information about the history of certain surnames, such as migration dates, naturalization, military records, and other official sources.

When searching for a surname like “Ferreira,” for example, the app can show the presence of that name in immigration records from the 19th century, when many Portuguese families moved to South America or the United States. This data helps contextualize your family’s trajectory in time and space.

The app is available for Android and iOS, and is a powerful tool for anyone serious about tracing their origins.

Which one to choose?

The choice between FamilySearch and Ancestry It depends on your goal and profile:

• If you want a platform 100% free, with access to documents, creation of family trees and support in Portuguese, the FamilySearch is the best option.
• If you want a tool with global database and is willing to eventually consider premium features, the Ancestry offers a more detailed and professional approach.

It is worth remembering that both applications are compatible with Android and iOS, and they work well even on simpler cell phones.

In practice, many users use the two together: they start with FamilySearch, and then use Ancestry to supplement information or explore additional documents.

Final considerations

Knowing the history of your surname is an important step towards understanding your roots and appreciating your family’s history. And with the help of technology, this task has never been easier.

Applications like FamilySearch and Ancestry make it possible to explore documents, cross-reference information and build a family tree in a practical, accessible and free way. If you want to recover your origins, reconnect with your roots and even find distant relatives, these applications are indispensable tools.

Download it now, do your first search and discover what your surname has to reveal. After all, your family history begins with a name — and each name tells a story.