This project was started in October 2019 to serve as a single platform where research on the Butler/Rawlings family of Wiltshire could be shared.

This project relies on research conducted by family members, who found that up until the 1800s, many people living in various areas of Wiltshire employed the surnames Butler and Rawlings/Rawlins interchangeably. The earliest records of this occurring goes back to 1550.

Following the 1800s, families appear to have ‘chosen’ a surname (either Butler or Rawlings). This project therefore aims to rectify the lack of readily available information on the origins and purpose of such surname changes, through the use of genetic and historical research. It also hopes to establish and clarify ancestral links between the descendants of the theoretical Butler/Rawlings common ancestor.