Not something I have done (or had that much interest in TBH), but one of my brothers worked for a local company many years ago whose MD had the same family name - not knowingly a direct relation, though.

He had done a lot of research into the origins of the family name & had got back to the 12 century. These were records in a church in the village overlooking Halifax where my youngest brother currently lives, about 6 miles from me. Seems we don't move around much ! Seems the records are mainly to do with churches & courts, where there are records of both criminals and constables.

No one left now to ask directly about either side of the family. I know my maternal grandfather served in the Royal Artillery on the Somme in WW 1 & that my paternal grandfather was a miner, so a reserved occupation in WW2 but not much more than that.

Nigel B.