Both best mate and I have Sussex ancestors but are not related per Ancestry.
However, we share several DNA matches, who appear to be people with Sussex ancestry.
While at work, I found a distant match for both of us, who also linked to a mutual match, who is Canadian.
I think that my route in is through the surname Stillaway. (Not that I have found that surname in my family) but...
Edith May Stillaway b 1906 Canada was the daughter of George James Stillaway
George James was the son of Thomas Stillaway and Permilia Martin
and Thomas was b 1853 Surrey, the son of James Stillaway of Henfield, Sussex
Henfield is spitting distance from Ashurst and Cowfold, where my Sussex ancestors lived.
Now, I have found another DNA match, whose name I forget
They had ancestors in the same area with a name that looks more German than English: Schtellway or some such variant.
Can anyone suggest easy ways to find them?
I've been hunting under place names, but that doesn't seem to throw them up.