Q.

Does the CD really contain maps for ALL surnames and forenames?

A.

Yes, if the name appears anywhere on the 1881 census, then it appears in Surname Atlas, even names with a frequency of one individual. All spelling variants are included, and they can be mapped either separately or grouped with other spellings.

Q.

Are the maps based on heads of household only, or all individuals?

A.

All individuals.

Q.

And is it places of residence, or birthplace?

A.

Places of residence only.

Q.

Why isn't Ireland included?

A.

Because unfortunately the 1861-91 censuses for the whole of Ireland were pulped by order of the Government in 1916. After this, most of the surviving census returns (1821-51) were destroyed in the 1922 Four Courts (Dublin) fire. The earliest complete surviving census for Ireland is therefore 1901, which has only been partly transcribed/indexed so far.

Q.

As well as counties, I see you can also map names by 'poor law union'. What's that?

A.

It's just a convenient area for grouping data, at a lower level than a county. Poor Law Unions were set up in Engliand & Wales following the passing of the Poor Law amendment Act in 1834. The same areas were also used for civil registration and the collection of the 19th century census. They generally contain between 5 and 20 (civil) parishes. The system was less well developed in Scotland and the program only supports mapping by poor law union for England & Wales. It doesn't include any poor law data, only census data.

Q.

Can I use the program to map other data?

A.

No. It's a 'read only' program. If you want to map your own data, you need GenMap UK.

Q.

Can I run the program from my hard disk?

A.

No, it's designed to run only from the CD. The advantage is that it doesn't require installing.

Q.

Can I create maps for my website?

A.

Yes, using the program you can export via the Windows clipboard and paste into a graphics program like PaintShop or PhotoShop. Then save in GIF file format (the map images contain only a few colours, so this format is generally more suitable than the JPG format).

Q.

What about embedding maps into a written document like a family history narrative?

A.

Yes, again you can do this by copying to the Windows clipboard, and then pasting into a program like MS Word. You can then re-size the image and move it around the page, integrating it with your text.

Q.

I have problems with printing, are there any workarounds?

A.

Instead of using the built-in printing facility, try exporting via the Windows clipboard then pasting into a program like MS Word. You can increase the size of the exported bitmap up to 1000x1000 pixels, by which you can achieve quite reasonable quality.

Q.

What about the legend box? - this isn't being exported with the map.

A.

No, due to various issues connected with screen resolution etc. As a workaround, try lifting the key from the top-right of the screen, using a screen-grabber such as that provided in Paintshop Pro. Alternatively, use Alt-PrintScreen to copy the entire screen to the Windows clipboard, paste into a graphics program and crop as necessary.

Q.

Can I print to Adobe Acrobat?

A.

Yes, if you have the full Acrobat product. You may find that you need to switch off the 'coastal feathering' option.

Q.

Can I advertise or offer a surname lookup/printing service to others?

A.

No, this is precluded by the User Licence. The program is designed for personal use.

Q.

I have a copy of GenMap UK v2.0, but can't make the two programs co-exist without problems. Any solutions?

A.

Please email for details.

Q.

Does Surname Atlas run on an Apple Mac or on Linux?

A.

Not in native mode on either of these. It should, however, run with a PC emulator.