MIGRATION THROUGH SURNAMES IN CAMPOBASSO PROVINCE, ITALY

Data on grandparental surnames were obtained from schoolchildren in 22 communes from Campobasso Province, Italy (Molise Region). The distribution of surnames was shown to be almost exactly linear by a log2–log2 transformation, which justified the fitting of the data to Fisher’s logarithmic distribution. The values for ν were higher among women. When ν was standardized to minimize bias due to sample size, the value was one-third the estimate of migration from exogamy data. The higher values of ν for females indicate that there is greater mobility of female marriage partners than males.