The SCGS Virtual Surname Wall provides a worry-free way to post information about your ancestors online and find others who are researching your families.
 

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." 
Dickens was not thinking of online genealogy when he wrote those words, but they certainly do fit. 
 
Why is it the Best of Times...?
· The internet provides an opportunity to reach thousands of people with a single posting or email. 
· Messages remain available for years, ready to be seen by new cousins as the popularity of genealogy grows.
· Accurate information can be released to correct mistakes in electronic or print resources.
 
And why the Worst of Times...?
· Even before the Internet, inaccurate data has haunted family historians.  However, the speed and extent to which inaccurate data is distributed online is magnified many times over.
· Unethical or inconsiderate researchers have distributed another person's data without giving credit or citing the source.
· Concerns for privacy and methods to prevent identity theft discourage genealogists from placing information online.
 
We welcome family information from any geographic area, not just California, and not just from the US.
 
To participate in the Virtual Surname Wall, you will be asked for the following information.
 
1. Your family surnames, including any spelling variations.
2.  The geographic area(s) in which they lived, or the migration path.
3.  The associated period of time.
 
How do you participate?  Just click on the Virtual Surname Wall above. You'll be taken to the SCGS web to learn more about the program and be taken to the data entry page.