Surnames in Ferrara: distribution, isonimy and levels of inbreeding

The distributions of surnames in populations of small and large towns are almost exactly linearized by a log-log transformation. This indicates probable fit of genetic models to most such distributions, even when the number of surnames is very large. Genetic parameters can then be conveniently calculated from surname distributions. It was found that inbreeding indicators calculated from isonymy are negatively correlated with the size of the towns from which the names were extracted. It was also found that the levels of inbreeding at present observed in Ferrara have little effect on the frequency of homozygotes for the beta-thalassaemia gene. © 1987 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.