Soundex: Difference between revisions

Soundex (view source)

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 = '''Definition and Value'''  =
-[[Image:Soundex1910.jpg|thumb|right|1910 census Soundex family card.]][[Image:Miracode.jpg|thumb|right|1910 Miracode for 4 households.]]Soundex is a phonetic index that groups together names that sound alike but are spelled differently, ''for example'', '''''Stewart''''' and '''''Stuart'''''. This helps searchers find names that are spelled differently than originally expected, a relatively common genealogical research problem.
+[[Image:Soundex1910.jpg|thumb|right]][[Image:Miracode.jpg|thumb|right]]Soundex is a phonetic index that groups together names that sound alike but are spelled differently, ''for example'', '''''Stewart''''' and '''''Stuart'''''. This helps searchers find names that are spelled differently than originally expected, a relatively common genealogical research problem.
-The indexing system was developed by Robert C. Russell and Margaret K. Odell. It was patented in 1918 by Russell, and again in 1922 by Russell and Odell. It is formally called the Russell Soundex, and a variation used on the censuses is called the American Soundex.<ref>Rick Parsons, ''[http://west-penwith.org.uk/misc/soundex.htm Soundex - the True Story],'' (http://west-penwith.org.uk/misc/soundex.htm &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;: accessed 30 July 2008).</ref>&nbsp; When a computer was used to generate a Soundex index card for a census it was called a Miracode, and the information listed was slightly different from handwritten Soundex cards for the same census.
+The indexing system was developed by Robert C. Russell and Margaret K. Odell. It was patented in 1918<ref>Robert C. Russell, a method of phonetic indexing, patent no. 1,261,167 (1918), archive unknown; digital images, ''Google Patents'' (http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=EbdgAAAAEBAJ&amp;amp;amp;dq=patent:1261167 : accessed 6 May 2010).</ref> and reissued in 1923.<ref>Robert C. Russell, a method of phonetic indexing, patent no. 1,261,167 (1918), reissue no. RE15,582 (1923), archive unknown; digital images, ''Google Patents'' (http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=ProkAAAAEBAJ&amp;amp;amp;dq=patent:RE15582 : accessed 6 May 2010).</ref> It is formally called the Russell Soundex, and a variation used on the censuses is called the American Soundex.<ref>Rick Parsons, ''[http://west-penwith.org.uk/misc/soundex.htm Soundex - the True Story],'' (http://west-penwith.org.uk/misc/soundex.htm &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;: accessed 30 July 2008).</ref>&nbsp; When a computer was used to generate a Soundex index card for a census it was called a Miracode, and the information listed was slightly different from handwritten Soundex cards for the same census.
 The most well-known genealogical use of Soundex is on parts of the 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 United States federal censuses. It is also used by the federal government for selected ship passenger arrival lists, certain Canadian border crossings, and some naturalization records. A few county governments have also used a version of Soundex for courthouse kinds of records. More recently, Ancestry.com and other Internet companies have featured a Soundex search for their huge online genealogical databases.
 Many non-genealogical search engine algorithms borrow heavily from concepts first introduced by Soundex.<ref>Ibid.</ref>
 = '''Online Soundex Converters'''  =
 The easiest way to obtain the Soundex code for a name is to use one of several online Soundex converter programs. Simply type a name, and at the click of a button, the converter will divulge the corresponding Soundex code. There may be subtle differences between programs:<br>
 *[http://bradandkathy.com/genealogy/yasc.html Yet Another Soundex Converter]
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 Use these rules to manually create a Soundex code for an ancestor’s name.
-=== '''Basic Rules'''<ref>Based on rules in ''[http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/soundex.html The Soundex Indexing System],'' ''The National Archives'' (http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/soundex.html &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;: accessed 30 July 2008).</ref>  ===
+=== '''Basic Rules'''<ref>Based on rules in ''[http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/soundex.html The Soundex Indexing System],'' ''The National Archives'' (http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/soundex.html &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;: accessed 30 July 2008).</ref>  ===
 *Every soundex code consists of a letter and three numbers, such as D432.
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 *Zeroes are added at the end if necessary to produce a four-character code. Excess letters are disregarded if they would produce a code longer than four-characters. For example '''Lee'''&nbsp;= L000, and '''Christopherson'''&nbsp;= C623.
-{| class="plain FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="225" align="center"
+{| width="225" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align="center" class="plain FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |+ <u>'''Soundex Key Letter Codes'''</u>
 |-
 | valign="middle" align="center" | '''''Number'''''<br>
 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 | '''''Represents the Letters<br>'''''
 |-
 | valign="middle" align="right" | 1<br>
 | &nbsp;
 | b, f, p, v <br>
 |-
 | valign="middle" align="right" | 2<br>
 |
 | c, g, j, k, q, s, x, z<br>
 |-
 | valign="middle" align="right" | 3<br>
 |
 | d, t<br>
 |-
 | valign="middle" align="right" | 4<br>
 |
 | l<br>
 |-
 | valign="middle" align="right" | 5<br>
 |
 | m, n<br>
 |-
 | valign="middle" align="right" | 6<br>
 |
 | r<br>
@@ Line 81: / Line 81: @@
 *'''Names with prefixes''', such as Van, Con, De, Di, La, or Le, are coded both with and without the prefix because the name might be listed under either code. Note, however, that Mc and Mac are not considered prefixes. For example, '''Van Deusen'''&nbsp;= V532 or D250.
-== '''More Soundex Examples'''<ref>Anne Bruner Eales, and Robert M. Kvasnicka, ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/44420788&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives, 3rd ed.]'' (Washington, D.C.: NARA, 2000), 22.</ref>  ==
+== '''More Soundex Examples'''<ref>Anne Bruner Eales, and Robert M. Kvasnicka, ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/44420788&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives, 3rd ed.]'' (Washington, D.C.: NARA, 2000), 22.</ref>  ==
-{| class="plain FCK__ShowTableBorders" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="572" align="center"
+{| width="572" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" align="center" class="plain FCK__ShowTableBorders"
 |-
 | ''Name''
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 {{reflist}}
 {{USCensus}}
 [[Category:United_States_Census|United_States_Census]] [[Category:United_States_Emigration_and_Immigration|United_States_Emigration_and_Immigration]] [[Category:United_States_Naturalization_and_Citizenship|United_States_Naturalization_and_Citizenship]] [[Category:United_States_Land_and_Property|United_States_Land_and_Property]]