Surname Method Reveals Deep Status Persistence

Following rare surnames across centuries (via university registers, lists of professionals, and parliamentary rolls) reveals that families' high or low social status persists far longer than most short‑term parent–child income studies indicate. Clark argues this implies a durable, inherited component of social competence that smooths over generational noise and produces slow mobility even when short‑run measures suggest rapid change. — If true, the finding shifts policy focus from single‑generation remedies (like temporary transfers or short schooling fixes) toward long‑run strategies addressing persistent family transmission of advantage and the sources of 'social competence'.