You definitely need a place to start, like family records.

My paternal grandfather (where my last name comes from) - came over from Germany late 1700's. Records in Germany take the family history back to 1300's. If the preacher in the town is right, possibly 1100's. It's in the Black
forest - no wars, so church records were not destroyed. I lived in Germany for 3 years - this was easy to research. Family history shows Blacksmiths and Spielmans (entertainers) as the most part. The germans keep meticulous records.

My paternal grandmother - last name Simmons. Came over on the second Mayflower in the early 1600's. Well documented - family history on record at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. My link - Moises Simmons.

My maternal grandmother - Came over from Wales in the late 1700's. Very complete family history maintained - it's amazing how people over the years keep track of their family history. Oh, as a side note. This is the only side of the family that lived far enough south to actually have owned slaves. They freed them after the war (no, not the civil war. Records showed they freed them in 1791 - after the revolutionary war technically ended). Family name was Montgomery. They initially settled in Delaware - owned a tannery.

My maternal grandfather - uh oh. Last name Miller. He was German. My wife's last name is Miller. His family ended up in Lancaster Ohio. My wife's family came from Lancaster Ohio via Germany. I don't know enough about my mom's dads history to conclude much but damn...

Tom