What's your name's story?

With a last name such as "Patrick," we get a lot of Irish jokes and comments, all warmly welcomed. It's funny, but when we finally made it to Ireland we discovered not one "Patrick," but more Irish etymologies in crests of surnames on a different side of the family - Robbins, Brown, and even Davis we discovered were old Irish clan names. Another - "Lewis" - also has a Gaelic connection in Wales.

As a matter of fact, "Patrick" isn't even a surname in Ireland. It's a first name only (like the Saint), by American immigration likely shortened from Fitzpatrick (Irish, but not ours) or Kirkpatrick (Scot - bingo). Family legend has our ancestor in a bad tussle; he must have won, because he then fled to the Emerald Isle. Ironically, "kirk" in Scots means church, but ours doesn't sound at all pious.

Want to look up your own family names without the travel expense? Thanks to the Internet, you don't need a passport. Ancestry.com is the gold standard - easy to use and chock full of reliable and thoroughly researched information, not only on name origins and meanings, but also personal histories and linkages leading to long-lost cousins. It does cost about $20 to $45 monthly, depending on how far across the globe lies one's history.

There are free and low-cost alternatives. Local genealogy experts and volunteers with the Kootenai County Genealogical Society offer research assistance Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m., as well as speakers at monthly meetings on third Thursdays at 7 p.m. (February through June and September through November). Both occur at the Hayden Library.

See their list of research links, some free, at KCGS.org/links.html. Serious researchers may join KCGS for $15 per year.

Or if a dabble will do, you can amuse yourself now free of charge at Houseofnames.com. Notably three names above, while sported in family crests connected to old clans during our travels in Ireland, HouseofNames connected with "English" and "Scottish" instead. I suppose the Gaels wandered throughout the UK too. Anyway, here's what I found there, each with image of family crest:

Kirkpatrick, Gilpatrick, Patrick (Scot, Old Norse): Meaning "St. Patrick's Church," with the family seat still boasting a family-inhabited castle at Closeburn in Scotland. Cousins of Sir Roger de Kirkpatrick include famous warriors Robert the Bruce and William Wallace. No wonder the family legends include a brawl or two.

Robbins, Robins (English, French, Scot): First used in Scottish/English borderlands; Gaelic root; diminutive of "Robert."

Davis, Davies (Irish, Welsh, Jewish): "Son of David," patron saint of Wales. This family who once ruled Wales held a seat in northeastern Wales since ancient times.

Brown (Norman, English): Brown hair, brown eyes, or someone who dresses in Brown. Some of the Brown family moved to Ireland, but learning more required a fee.

Lewis (Welsh): Ancient name in Wales and anglicized version of "Llewellyn," interpreted as lion-like, but rooted in "llyw," meaning leader.

Now, the further away is the name origin from Anglo-Saxon roots, the less likely is one to find results anywhere other than Ancestry.com, where I was surprised to find hits for my unusual Persian name. At Houseofnames I found common Latino names, but not common Chinese or Indo-European. I also found Surnamemdb.com, which seems more a history of name use, minus the crests. There, mine included references to Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest - a fantasy story based tenuously on fact at best. Much like these name searches have limited connection to one's true ancestry. But it's fun to speculate, and lack of written histories make certainties impossible, so no harm in this particular indulgence and some connections may even surprise.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network who wishes she knew more about her family's Native American names. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.