Soundex: Difference between revisions

The Russell Soundex (a.k.a. American Soundex, and Miracode) and its usefulness to genealogists are explained, some online Soundex converters listed, and rules given for how to manually create a Soundex code.  

[[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.  

Many non-genealogical search engine algorithms borrow heavily from concepts first introduced by Soundex.<ref>Ibid.</ref>  

*[http://bradandkathy.com/genealogy/yasc.html Yet Another Soundex Converter]  

*[http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/3916/soundex.html Surname to Soundex Converter]

Soundex is based on the classification of letters of the alphabet (consonants) into six sound-alike key letter groups. For example, in many languages the '''B''' and '''V''' sounds are nearly interchangeable; as are '''B''' and '''P'''; and '''V''' and '''F'''. So the first phonetic group of key letter consonants is '''b, f, p, v'''. Vowels are fluid and disregarded, as are '''H''' and '''W'''. By giving the same value to key letter consonants that often sound alike, the index brings names together that would usually be pronounced alike with little regard to their actual spelling. Each sound-alike group of key letter consonants is assigned a number. Each family name is assigned a Soundex code that has the initial letter of the name followed by exactly three of the sound-alike key letter group numbers. For example, '''''Stewart'''''&nbsp;= S363 and '''''Stuart'''''&nbsp;= S363.  

Modern online search engines that use Soundex do it without displaying the Soundex codes—similar names spelled differently simply appear together on the search results list. But from time to time a researcher may need to understand Soundex codes in order to use one of the older Soundex indexes on microfilm.  

Use these rules to manually create a Soundex code for an ancestor’s name.  

*Every soundex code consists of a letter and three numbers, such as D432.  

*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.

|+ <u>'''Soundex Key Letter Codes'''</u>  

|-

| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  

| '''''Represents the Letters<br>'''''

|-

| &nbsp;  

| b, f, p, v <br>

|-

|  

| c, g, j, k, q, s, x, z<br>

|-

|  

| d, t<br>

|-

|  

| l<br>

|-

|  

| m, n<br>

|-

|  

| r<br>

|}

*'''Double key letters''' should be treated as one letter. For example, '''Gutierrez'''&nbsp;= G362.  

*'''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.

|-

| ''Name''  

|}

'''Indexing rules were not always followed consistently.''' The government indexers may have occasionally overlooked some of the fine points of the additional indexing rules.<ref>Parsons.</ref> If you cannot find a name under the correct code, try looking under the code as if the additional rules were overlooked. For example, try looking for '''Ashcroft''' under both A226 and A261, or try looking for '''Pfister''' under both P236 and P123.  

'''Related names may not be grouped together.''' Sometimes names that are obviously related do not come together in the same Soundex index group. For example, '''Clausen''' is under C425 and '''Klausen''' under K425. If you cannot find a name you seek in a Soundex index, there are 20 alternative ideas in the Wiki article [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Guessing_a_Name_Variation Guessing a Name Variation] to help find elusive names in indexes.  

One of the most well-known uses of Soundex indexes is for some of the federal censuses of the United States. More recently, these old microfilm indexes have been largely replaced by online search engines. If you ever have an occasion to use a census Soundex on microfilm, keep in mind that the Soundex card is only a summary. It does not show as much information as the original census schedule.  

<br>''Figure 2. Half a page of the 1930 federal census of Bronx, New York, with more data showing than on Soundex cards.'' [[Image:1930CensusBronx.png]]  

*Rick Parsons, ''[http://west-penwith.org.uk/misc/soundex.htm Soundex - the True Story],'' (http://west-penwith.org.uk/misc/soundex.htm &nbsp;: accessed 30 July 2008).  

*[[Finding a Person in the 1930 Census (Even Without An Index)|Finding a Person in the 1930 Census (Even without and Index)]] FamilySearch Wiki article.

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