Hello What is the convention for names which have many variants? For example, I have one family name which uses the following variants within the same generations (WILBRAHAM, WILBRAM, WILBOURNE, WILBURN, WILBORN etc) One ancestor was baptised as WILBOURNE, then was called WILBRAHAM on his marriage. His children were a mixture of WILBOURNE and WILBRAHAM on baptism, and on some census were called WILBRAHAM and on others WILBOURNE. (I've done extensive research and they are definitely the same people). The confusion between the names has led to duplication in ordinance work, and I am not sure how to deal with future submissions or how to record this family on PAF. (Do I choose one main name to use then make a note that they have also been recorded under different variants?) Any help appreciated. Valerie

Valerie, There is no one correct way to handle these situations. You have two issues, one is your records and one is temple ordinances. For your records you can do whatever you like. You could pick the most common spelling and list the others as AKA's. You could use the spelling the person seemed to use most predominantly during their life, the spelling found on the earliest record (birth or baptism), or any other system you decide. Remember, there is nothing infallible about ANY written record. Many early records were recorded by a clerk or minister who was simply writing down what he heard from someone who could not read or write. As you so correctly describe, the same person may have multiple "official" sources for their name during their lifetime that may or may not agree. If someone used a particular spelling when they were married, on land records, voter registrations, social security, and everything else, but their birth record was different, which name is "correct"? I use the preponderance of evidence rule. As to the temple issue, the Church has clearly stated that ordinances are not to be repeated due to minor differences in names or dates. The importance is in uniquely identifying the person. It is only your responsibility to do work for those unique individuals without ordinances. You of course should make it as easy as possible for those who follow you to not duplicate work, by using copious and explicit notes to explain name variations. Just remember that other researchers have the same responsibility to also check for alternate spellings. As long as you are not contributing to the duplicate problem by resubmitting names, that is the best you can do. Gary Templeman ----- Original Message ----- From: "bladon" <bladon@onetel.net> To: <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 3:23 PM Subject: [PAF-5] Name variations > Hello > > What is the convention for names which have many variants? > > For example, I have one family name which uses the following variants within the same generations (WILBRAHAM, WILBRAM, WILBOURNE, WILBURN, WILBORN etc) > > One ancestor was baptised as WILBOURNE, then was called WILBRAHAM on his marriage. His children were a mixture of WILBOURNE and WILBRAHAM on baptism, and on some census were called WILBRAHAM and on others WILBOURNE. (I've done extensive research and they are definitely the same people). > > The confusion between the names has led to duplication in ordinance work, and I am not sure how to deal with future submissions or how to record this family on PAF. (Do I choose one main name to use then make a note that they have also been recorded under different variants?) > > Any help appreciated. > > Valerie > > > ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== > PAF-5-USERS Mailing List Archives > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/PAF-5-USERS/ >

I never change the spelling of a name from what I find. I don't believe in rewriting history. If the person/owner wanted to change the spelling, so be it. I often have children in one family with a different spelling of their surname and the notes of my research are clear as what spelling is in the source. From some of the Emails I get from other persons, with terrible spelling and the lack of capital letters, I would hate to use their records, in anything I am proud of? Ross GH Cotton, Burlington ON CAN 905)639-2929 Genealogy of the COTTON surname is my Enigma. I haven't sent an attachment if the details are not mentioned above. Check out my Genealogy Web Page at www.skylinc.net/~rgcotton GOONS member responsible for tracking the family name COTTON, #1437 Coordinator for Cotton DNA testing Project, Worldwide ----- Original Message ----- From: bladon To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 6:23 PM Subject: [PAF-5] Name variations Hello What is the convention for names which have many variants? For example, I have one family name which uses the following variants within the same generations (WILBRAHAM, WILBRAM, WILBOURNE, WILBURN, WILBORN etc) One ancestor was baptised as WILBOURNE, then was called WILBRAHAM on his marriage. His children were a mixture of WILBOURNE and WILBRAHAM on baptism, and on some census were called WILBRAHAM and on others WILBOURNE. (I've done extensive research and they are definitely the same people). The confusion between the names has led to duplication in ordinance work, and I am not sure how to deal with future submissions or how to record this family on PAF. (Do I choose one main name to use then make a note that they have also been recorded under different variants?) Any help appreciated. Valerie ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List Archives http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/PAF-5-USERS/

bladon wrote: > Hello > > What is the convention for names which have many variants? > > For example, I have one family name which uses the following variants within the same generations (WILBRAHAM, WILBRAM, WILBOURNE, WILBURN, WILBORN etc) > > One ancestor was baptised as WILBOURNE, then was called WILBRAHAM on his marriage. His children were a mixture of WILBOURNE and WILBRAHAM on baptism, and on some census were called WILBRAHAM and on others WILBOURNE. (I've done extensive research and they are definitely the same people). > > The confusion between the names has led to duplication in ordinance work, and I am not sure how to deal with future submissions or how to record this family on PAF. (Do I choose one main name to use then make a note that they have also been recorded under different variants?) > > Any help appreciated. > > Valerie The Rule I was taught back in the 1970s was, use the most-common variant. So if there are more records for SMITHEY than for SMITHY, use SMITHEY. Unfortunately, one of my surnames is Harmison and the most common variant is Harrison, and I thought "not!" (g) Other than that -- I guess it depends on what your *real* problem is. Since Spelling was a _game_ before Social Security in the US, if it sounds-like or can be made to sound-like, it's good enough seems to have been the general attitude. And of course, in Britain, you've got the various local accents which in some time periods I hear were virtually unintelligible five hours from home. So, if your problem is, how do I show it on the charts, I've opted for KISS -- I got tired of trying to remember how ol' Lafe spelt his last name on his marriage bond, or how his brother spelt it on HIS, or how their sister's husband spelt it in a letter to one of 'em, and I picked the spelling I preferred for aesthetic reasons and used it throughout. There IS a note explaining that the record was found under SpellingA or SpellingD, but *I* can find things. The charts looked better when each generation had its own spelling and they were certainly educational, but I couldn't find anything. OTOH, if your problem is, how do I match my records against the IIGI -- I don't see that you've got all that much control over what someone else has already done. Run all the variants against each couple and take the date that matches, regardless of how they're shown in your records. As I understand it, once there's a date in those fields, they'll be ignored later on. Cheryl

Valerie: Variant spellings is always a problem. Whether what I do is right or wrong, I enter the surname as it has been most commonly spelled and in the Notes I list the variant spellings. I also give the source and provide the surname (or given name) variation in that record. If you are preparing a TR submission, be sure to use the spelling as it appears on the document. No doubt others have submitted on the families for ordinances and have edited the spelling to conform with what they think it should be. Unless that information is seriously erroneous there is nothing you can do about it. But, you can make your records and database as correct as possible. Good luck. Connie ----- Original Message ----- From: "bladon" <bladon@onetel.net> To: <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 2:23 PM Subject: [PAF-5] Name variations > Hello > > What is the convention for names which have many variants? > > For example, I have one family name which uses the following variants > within the same generations (WILBRAHAM, WILBRAM, WILBOURNE, WILBURN, > WILBORN etc) > > One ancestor was baptised as WILBOURNE, then was called WILBRAHAM on his > marriage. His children were a mixture of WILBOURNE and WILBRAHAM on > baptism, and on some census were called WILBRAHAM and on others WILBOURNE. > (I've done extensive research and they are definitely the same people). > > The confusion between the names has led to duplication in ordinance work, > and I am not sure how to deal with future submissions or how to record > this family on PAF. (Do I choose one main name to use then make a note > that they have also been recorded under different variants?) > > Any help appreciated. > > Valerie > > > ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== > PAF-5-USERS Mailing List Archives > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/PAF-5-USERS/ > >