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The classic British drama All Creatures Great and Small is getting a makeover for the modern era.

Earlier this month the world said farewell to British film, television and stage actor Albert Finney who died at the age of 82. A graduate of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Mr. Finney entertained audiences for over fifty years in a diverse range of roles. Many of his performances earned him critical… Read more“Remembering Albert Finney”

This month I’ve chosen to profile one of those British actors that I’ve been following so long he sort of feels like family. At just 37, he’s tackled stage, film and television and tried his hand at sci-fi, comedy, thrillers, animation and period pieces always with his trademark vulnerablity. And though Russell Tovey might not… Read more“British Actors You Should Know: Russell Tovey”

Surnames in Italy trace their origin back to the 1400s, when it became necessary to add a second name to distinguish between individuals with the same given name. Italian surnames are often easy to recognize because most end in a vowel, and many of them have been derived from descriptive… Read more“Find Out the Meaning of Your Italian Last Name”

Have you ever wondered about your Spanish last name and how it came to be? Spanish surnames (apellidos) first came into use around the 12th century when populations began to expand to the point where it became necessary to distinguish between individuals who had the same first name. Modern Spanish surnames… Read more“The Meanings and Origins of Spanish Surnames”

With roots in the Germanic middle ages, German surnames have been around since the 1100s. They are often very easy to identify if you either know a little German or know which clues to look for.

With a few exceptions, hereditary surnames—the last names passed down through the male family lines—didn’t exist until about 1000 years ago. While it may be hard to believe in today’s world of passports and retinal scans, surnames just weren’t necessary before that. The world was much less crowded than it is… Read more“What Does My Last Name Mean?”

If you have French ancestry, you are in good company. Hundreds of millions of people around the world can claim descent from this ancient nation. Like most countries in Europe, the French people did not start using surnames until the Middle Ages. Before that, the villages were small, and most… Read more“What You Need to Know About French Surnames”

Irish Americans proudly display their heritage in their last names. The Kelly’s, the Murphy’s, the O’Connor’s and the Byrne’s – such names bring to mind the clans of old, the heady days of warring kerns and heroic galloglaighs. But where did these names come from? What is the story behind… Read more“Irish Last Names & Their Meanings”