I'm sad I can't find any roots in my family that is of Scottish descent, what am I suppose to do?

Okay, so your father says that you don't have any Scottish roots "that he knows of." But have your parents both traced their ancestry back 10-20 generations, with sound genealogical research? Do they know who each of your 1024 8xgreat-grandparents are, and where they all came from? If not, then it's still possible that you could have a Scottish ancestor in there somewhere! So don't despair!

As for your surname - remember, the ancient man whose surname you carry is only one of many, many ancestors. You have two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, 16 great-greats... it keeps doubling each generation. So you have many more surnames in your lineage than just yours, Lewis and Rivet. If you spend some time researching your family tree, you just might find a Scottish surname yet!

I'm not sure I understand your question, if you asked one. I have been doing genealogical researcher a long time and if I was told there is no Scotland link and I could not locate a name by typing it into the search engine, I wouldn't continue on the vine until I have more information.

Looking on a website twice is like carrying an umbrella twice, and because it didn't rain either day never carrying an umbrella again.

Websites are only as good as the information the is put on them. Probably the best for a general search is familyhistory.com. But remember, any information found needs to be documented and the sources cites similar to a footnote.

You might want to include why you think your family is descented from Scotland in your next question.

First of all, you cannot tell where your ancestors came from merely by looking up the meaning/origin of a surname. It just doesn't work, for all sorts of reasons.

But, I can tell you this: if you you have ancestors from the British Isles, you almost certainly have ancestors of "Scottish roots" as the people there are so thoroughly mixed.

You have 2 choices: the paper trail, which is long and tedious, or the DNA test. See below.

You should start by asking all your living relatives about family history. Then, armed with that information, you can go to your public library and check to see if it has a genealogy department. Most do nowadays; also, don't forget to check at community colleges, universities, etc. Our public library has both www.ancestry.com and www.heritagequest.com free for anyone to use (no library card required).

Another place to check out is any of the Mormon's Family History Centers. They allow people to search for their family history (and, NO, they don't try to convert you).

A third option is one of the following websites:

http://www.searchforancestors.com/...

http://www.censusrecords.net/?o_xid=2739...

www dot usgenweb dot com/

www dot census dot gov/

http://www.rootsweb.com/

www dot ukgenweb dot com/

www dot archives dot gov/

http://www.familysearch.org/

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/...

http://www.cyndislist.com/

www dot geni dot com/

Cyndi's has the most links to genealogy websites, whether ship's passenger lists, ancestors from Africa, ancestors from the Philippines, where ever and whatever.

Of course, you may be successful by googling: "john doe, born 1620, plimouth, massachusetts" as an example.

Good luck and have fun!

Check out this article on five great free genealogy websites:

www dot associatedcontent dot com/article...

Then there is the DNA test; if you decide you want to REALLY know where your ancestors came from opt for the DNA test. Besides all the mistakes that officials commonly make, from 10% to 20% of birth certificates list the father wrong; that is, mama was doing the hanky-panky and someone else was the REAL father. That won't show up on the internet or in books; it WILL show up in DNA.

I used www.familytreedna.com which works with the National Geographics Genotype Program.

Rivet is a nice unusual name.

Rivet Name Meaning and History

1. French: from a diminutive of Old French rive ‘(river) bank’, ‘shore’ (see Rives).

2. Northern French and English: metonymic occupational name for a maker of bolts (see Rivett).

Rivett Name Meaning and History

1. English (East Anglia): metonymic occupational name for a metalworker, from Middle English, Old French rivet ‘small nail or bolt’ (from Old French river ‘to fix or secure’, of unknown origin).

Anyway keep working on your tree and you may well discover someone Scottish, I had to go back 6 or so generations before I was 'lucky' enough to find an ancestor born in Scotland.

??!! I don't get it.. what do you have to be depressed about?

Two things.. A surname IS NOT GENEALOGY. Don't waste your energy. Genealogy is using records to verify who your actual ancestors are. The purpose is to know who you ARE... not what you think you WANT or should be.

Next.. you are not related to every Lewis in the world (all persons with the same name are NOT always related). Just one of many reasons why surnames and genealogy are not the same.

You find your roots by using records to prove your parents. Next, find who their parents are/were. Then THEIR parents. They are all individual persons, they will all have individual names.. but more important, INDIVIDUAL FACTS.

If your gr gr gr grandfather Lewis came from England, that is where he comes from. Same for every ancestor that you find.

If it really depresses you that your ancestors refuse to be someone that they were not... I think you might consider finding another hobby.

Why do you want to be Scottish so much?

It's all a mixed bag anyway - what is truly "Scottish" as opposed to "English"? Read some history and you will see we all come from the same sources - Celts, Vikings, Saxons - all mixed up! "English Northumberland" formed much of the east coast of Scotland anyway - occupied mainly by Danes.

Does this mean you have what is apparently a Scots surname?

Do you live in Scotland?

What name is causing the problem?

So what. Many immigrants to the US changed their surnames to suit their new lives. Some by accident ("Name?" - "Mich Fergessen" - "Welcome to the US Mitch Ferguson!")

If you are not American (lucky you!) there could be other reasons. If it is just because you fancy yourself as a Sean Connery or Braveheart you can keep on dreaming.