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[[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|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. | ||
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.< | 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 : accessed 30 July 2008).</ref> 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. | 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.< | Many non-genealogical search engine algorithms borrow heavily from concepts first introduced by Soundex.<ref>Ibid.</ref> | ||
= '''Online Soundex Converters''' = | = '''Online Soundex Converters''' = | ||