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Twenty ways to find an elusive name including using competing indexes, initials, abbreviations, middle names, nicknames, IGI standardized names, translations, letter substitutes, finding relatives, and searching the record without an index. | Twenty ways to find an elusive name including using competing indexes, initials, abbreviations, middle names, nicknames, IGI standardized names, translations, letter substitutes, finding relatives, and searching the record without an index. | ||
Just because an ancestor always spelled his name the same way, that does '''NOT GUARANTEE''' it was always spelled that way by a clerk or by an indexer. If your first search fails to find an ancestor, consider the possibility the name is spelled differently than you expect. In fact, experienced genealogists worry their skills are slipping if they are not finding several documents with unexpected spellings of the name. | |||
Be prepared to hunt for elusive ancestors in a variety of ways and under a variety of name spellings. | |||
==20 ways to find an elusive name.== | ==20 ways to find an elusive name.== | ||
Here are some steps to help find names that seem to be missing from an index (or record): | Here are some steps to help find names that seem to be missing from an index (or record):<ref>This List has been modified from G. David Dilts, “Guidelines for Finding Misplaced Names in Census Indexes” in the “Censuses and Tax Lists” chapter of Kory L. Meyerink, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/38206986&referer=brief_results ''Printed Sources: A Guide to Publish Genealogical Records''] (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1998), 339. [FHL Book 016.9293 P96m].</ref> | ||
===Competing indexes.=== | ===Competing indexes.=== | ||
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===Translated immigrant given name.=== | ===Translated immigrant given name.=== | ||
Look for '''''both''''' foreign language and English versions of given names, for example, ''Andrew'' <nowiki>=</nowiki> ''Andreas''. Get help from the given name dictionary in 25 languages: Wanda Janowowa, et. al.,''[http://www. | Look for '''''both''''' foreign language and English versions of given names, for example, ''Andrew'' <nowiki>=</nowiki> ''Andreas''. Get help from the given name dictionary in 25 languages: Wanda Janowowa, et. al.,''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2376925&referer=brief_results Słownik Imion]'' (Wrocław [Poland]: Narodowy Imienia Ossolińskich Wydawnictwo, 1975.) [FHL INTL Reference 940 D4si; Fiche 6000839] | ||
===Vowels.=== | ===Vowels.=== | ||
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===Misread letters.=== | ===Misread letters.=== | ||
Use the [[Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada|''Commonly Misread Letters Table'']] to find letters which were possibly substituted in the spelling of the name. Using this table, the name CARTER might be under GARTER, EARTER, OARTER, CEARTER, CEIRTER, CAETER, CASTER and so forth. | Use the [[Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada|''Commonly Misread Letters Table'']]<ref>Originally published in Bryan Lee Dilts, [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=216474&disp=1860+District+of+Columbia+census+index%20%20&columns=*,0,0 ''1860 District of Columbia Census Index: Heads of Households and Other Surnames in Households Index''] (Salt Lake City: Index Publishing, 1983), ix-x. Here by express permission of the author.</ref> to find letters which were possibly substituted in the spelling of the name. Using this table, the name CARTER might be under GARTER, EARTER, OARTER, CEARTER, CEIRTER, CAETER, CASTER and so forth. | ||
===Phonetic substitutes.=== | ===Phonetic substitutes.=== | ||
Use the [[Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada|''Phonetic Substitutes Table'']] to find ways the name may have been misspelled using letters which sound similar. Using the table, RADCLIFFE might be searched for under RHADCLIFFE, RATCLIFFE, RADDCLIFFE, RADKLIFFE, RADGLIFFE, RADCLIVE, or RADCLIPHE. | Use the [[Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada|''Phonetic Substitutes Table'']]<ref>Originally published in G. David Dilts, "Censuses and Tax Lists," in Kory L. Meyerink, ed., [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=719674&disp=Printed+sources%20%20&columns=*,0,0 ''Printed Sources: A Guide to Published Genealogical Records''] (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1998), 331. Here by express permission of the author.</ref> to find ways the name may have been misspelled using letters which sound similar. Using the table, RADCLIFFE might be searched for under RHADCLIFFE, RATCLIFFE, RADDCLIFFE, RADKLIFFE, RADGLIFFE, RADCLIVE, or RADCLIPHE. | ||
===First letter=== | ===First letter=== | ||
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[[Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada|Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada]] | [[Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada|Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada]] | ||
== | ==Sources== | ||
{{reflist}} | |||
[[Category:Beginners]] | [[Category:Beginners]] | ||