Diana, I tried this for the name "Walker" & it only brought me to various queries/postings. What am I doing wrong? Gold ----- Original Message ----- From: <DianaGM@dgmweb.net> To: <PADUTCHgenONLY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 11:59 PM Subject: [PDGO] Re: List of names -- finding origin of names > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Classification: Query > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/3dB.2ACI/6180.2 > > Message Board Post: > > One way to check the origin of a name is to use the LDS database: > > http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp > > Enter the surname of interest and note the various spellings, locations, and dates. If you just enter the surname, you cannot specify any other field, but if you enter a common given name, such as John, you can then specify country of birth and dates. By specifying a year, then making the range plus or minus 20 years, you can go back 40 years at a time and see where the name came from as you go back in time. Or start around 1500 and work your way forward. > > Diana > > > ==== PADUTCHgenONLY Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the list, send a new e-mail to: PADUTCHgenONLY-L-request@rootsweb.com with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject and message body. If you are unsubscribing from digest mode, send your e-mail to: PADUTCHgenONLY-D-request@rootsweb.com . > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > >

Gold, Hmmm. It shouldn't take you to any queries or postings. Be sure you do NOT use the Search box above this message, which would take you to the posting on these message boards. Please go to this link http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp When you get to the LDS web site, it should say, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" on the very top line and "FamilySearch" on the next line down. Then in the "First Name" field, enter John and in the "Last Name" field enter Walker Be sure to *not* check the "Use exact spelling" box. Then hit Search. As WALKER is a very common name, you will get a gazillion hits, so narrow the search by doing it again, only this time choose "Birth/Christening" from the "Event" box and "+ or - 20" from the "Year Range." Enter "1500" in the Year box, and hit Search again. By varying the years and locations, you can see when and where the name first originated and how the spelling varied over time and place. In the case of WALKER, it is primarily an English surname and WALKER is probably the original spelling, so you won't see the variation you do when a German surname comes to the U.S.A. I have found this a very effective way to discover spelling variations of a name and its origin. Not that the picture given by the LDS database is necessarily complete, but it's the fastest, easiest way to gain a general impression. Diana P.S. The reason I suggest using "John" as the given name is that it's one of the most common male given names, especially among Germans (the search engine knows to include all spelling variations, e.g., Johan, Johannes, Hans, Juan, etc.). For German surnames, William and George are also extremely common; for English surnames, James is said to be the most common given name. The problem with not using a given name is that the search engine won't then let you specify dates or locations. > -----Original Message----- > From: Gold [mailto:silver9876@earthlink.net] > Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 11:14 AM > To: PADUTCHgenONLY-L@rootsweb.com; DianaGM@dgmweb.net > Subject: Re: [PDGO] Re: List of names -- finding origin of names > > > Diana, > I tried this for the name "Walker" & it only brought me to various > queries/postings. > What am I doing wrong? > Gold > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <DianaGM@dgmweb.net> > To: <PADUTCHgenONLY-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 11:59 PM > Subject: [PDGO] Re: List of names -- finding origin of names > > > > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > > > Classification: Query > > > > Message Board URL: > > > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/3dB.2ACI/6180.2 > > > > Message Board Post: > > > > One way to check the origin of a name is to use the LDS database: > > > > http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp > > > > Enter the surname of interest and note the various > spellings, locations, > and dates. If you just enter the surname, you cannot specify > any other > field, but if you enter a common given name, such as John, > you can then > specify country of birth and dates. By specifying a year, > then making the > range plus or minus 20 years, you can go back 40 years at a > time and see > where the name came from as you go back in time. Or start > around 1500 and > work your way forward. > > > > Diana > > >

Success. Thank you, thank you, thank you for educating me how to use the LDS site correctly and for the additional WALKER info. Gold ----- Original Message ----- From: "Diana Gale Matthiesen" <DianaGM@dgmweb.net> To: <PADUTCHgenONLY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 8:38 PM Subject: RE: [PDGO] Re: List of names -- finding origin of names > Gold, > > Hmmm. It shouldn't take you to any queries or postings. Be sure you do NOT use > the Search box above this message, which would take you to the posting on these > message boards. Please go to this link > > http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp > > When you get to the LDS web site, it should say, "The Church of Jesus Christ of > Latter-day Saints" on the very top line and "FamilySearch" on the next line > down. Then in the "First Name" field, enter > > John > > and in the "Last Name" field enter > > Walker > > Be sure to *not* check the "Use exact spelling" box. Then hit Search. > > As WALKER is a very common name, you will get a gazillion hits, so narrow the > search by doing it again, only this time choose "Birth/Christening" from the > "Event" box and "+ or - 20" from the "Year Range." Enter "1500" in the Year box, > and hit Search again. > > By varying the years and locations, you can see when and where the name first > originated and how the spelling varied over time and place. In the case of > WALKER, it is primarily an English surname and WALKER is probably the original > spelling, so you won't see the variation you do when a German surname comes to > the U.S.A. > > I have found this a very effective way to discover spelling variations of a name > and its origin. Not that the picture given by the LDS database is necessarily > complete, but it's the fastest, easiest way to gain a general impression. > > Diana > > P.S. The reason I suggest using "John" as the given name is that it's one of > the most common male given names, especially among Germans (the search engine > knows to include all spelling variations, e.g., Johan, Johannes, Hans, Juan, > etc.). For German surnames, William and George are also extremely common; for > English surnames, James is said to be the most common given name. The problem > with not using a given name is that the search engine won't then let you specify > dates or locations. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Gold [mailto:silver9876@earthlink.net] > > Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 11:14 AM > > To: PADUTCHgenONLY-L@rootsweb.com; DianaGM@dgmweb.net > > Subject: Re: [PDGO] Re: List of names -- finding origin of names > > > > > > Diana, > > I tried this for the name "Walker" & it only brought me to various > > queries/postings. > > What am I doing wrong? > > Gold > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <DianaGM@dgmweb.net> > > To: <PADUTCHgenONLY-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 11:59 PM > > Subject: [PDGO] Re: List of names -- finding origin of names > > > > > > > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > > > > > Classification: Query > > > > > > Message Board URL: > > > > > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/3dB.2ACI/6180.2 > > > > > > Message Board Post: > > > > > > One way to check the origin of a name is to use the LDS database: > > > > > > http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp > > > > > > Enter the surname of interest and note the various > > spellings, locations, > > and dates. If you just enter the surname, you cannot specify > > any other > > field, but if you enter a common given name, such as John, > > you can then > > specify country of birth and dates. By specifying a year, > > then making the > > range plus or minus 20 years, you can go back 40 years at a > > time and see > > where the name came from as you go back in time. Or start > > around 1500 and > > work your way forward. > > > > > > Diana > > > > > > > > > ==== PADUTCHgenONLY Mailing List ==== > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/padutch/ > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >

You're very welcome, Gold. The LDS databases have their shortcomings, but they're still immensely helpful -- and free. > -----Original Message----- > From: Gold [mailto:silver9876@earthlink.net] > Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 9:42 AM > To: PADUTCHgenONLY-L@rootsweb.com; DianaGM@dgmweb.net > Subject: THANK YOU Re: [PDGO] Re: List of names -- finding > origin of names > > > Success. > Thank you, thank you, thank you for educating me how to use the LDS > site correctly and for the additional WALKER info. > Gold >