Hi Cece and Paulo, In my tree which has over 13,000 names now, I do use the double surname if it was truly used that way. In my family, the name Goncalves de Freitas has been used just that way, and that is how I record it in my file. However, in the same family I also have wonem that married in and were de Freitas...These are recorded as Freitas only. Actually, I use Family Tree Maker and there is a function that I use. I put in a name like this: Maria Joaquina de \Freitas\. By putting in the backslashes it separates de from Freitas, so when I go into the imdex to look for this person it would be found under Freitas. And Paulo made an interesting point on bringing the names into current status. Previously, I was using Manoel for Manuel, Anna for Ana etc. I have recently started to modernize the names, making Roza, Rosa. I think that is a good way to keep the files. Also on Family Tree Maker, I added a tab called Name Variation, in that place I list all of the alias' as Paulo mentioned. It just makes it easier to keep track of. Hope that helps! Denise D'Antona In a message dated 3/26/2005 11:33:45 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, darwin@spamcop.net writes: Cece, These are the rules I'm using, which I got from my own experience: 1. The "De" particle, as in "de Freitas" or "dos Santos" shall never be included in the surname; 2. Patronimics, as in "Maria Rodrigues daugther of Rui Fernandes, son of Fernão Dias" shall not be used as a surname, unless you're certain that it really has become a surname; 3. Always update the name to it's current version: No "Affonços" or "Hyeronimos" shall remain. And specific to the point of this thread, 4. Include every (useful) version of the name as an alias, if your software allows that. For example, Maria, daugther of João Correia de Aguiar and Ana de Freitas can be known as Maria Correia, Maria de Aguiar, Maria Correia de Aguiar or Maria de Freitas. 5. Try to make the distintion between nicknames and surnames. In the case of the "Gomes Jardim" Gomes is a true surname, while Jardim seems to be a nickname. When it is passed to the descendancy it was always "Gomes Jardim" or "Gomes", but never or very rarely "Jardim". The same with the "Gomes Perneta". On these cases I use "Gomes Jardim" as a surname. On the other cases, of double surnames, I do as in point 4 and *never* use them combined. With a database of more than 60.000 names, I can tell you that it is working quite well. :) Paulo On Sat, 26 Mar 2005 07:21:46 -0600, Cece Camara <cece@soccer4all.com> wrote: > I was just wondering about how most of you deal with these in your family > tree program. > I am talking of course about the Fernades de Aguiars, or the Affonso da > Silvas or the Martins de Nobregas > etc etc... > > Do you use just the final surname as the last name or the conjoined > names as > the last name? > I can't decide which is the easier way to find these people. The most > frustrating thing > is that you will find them with just one surname on one record and a > conjoined surname on the next! > Then, how do you decide which one to use? > > I seem to be going back and forth depending on the name...but it's > getting > really diffucult > as my database is nearing 3000 names...and they are getting harder to > find! > > I guess I'd really like to know if there is a geneaological standard for > how > to record these names. > > Cece > > > > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > -- " Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas regumque turres." -- Horacio ============================== 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

I want to thank EVERYONE for their input on my question. You have all reassured me that my way is just as good as any!!! My overall process seems to be closest to Paulos...except I haven't been using the AKA's nearly enough. Denise, I also use FTM (2005) and also enter my names with the backsplashes as you do...so they show up in the correct places in the name list. In starting to use the AKA field though, I realize that it doesn't give places for multiple AKA's, I have to just put them all together, separated by colons. I also didn't realize I could customize it as you did. Where exactly did you put this tab and is there any way to access the names in your tab in the reporting. Do the AKA's show up in the name list? I'd appreciate knowing a little more about this. Thank you all! Cece -----Original Message----- From: TARA1197@aol.com [mailto:TARA1197@aol.com] Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 3:14 PM To: PRT-MADEIRA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PRT-MADEIRA] Re: Double surnames... Hi Cece and Paulo, In my tree which has over 13,000 names now, I do use the double surname if it was truly used that way. In my family, the name Goncalves de Freitas has been used just that way, and that is how I record it in my file. However, in the same family I also have wonem that married in and were de Freitas...These are recorded as Freitas only. Actually, I use Family Tree Maker and there is a function that I use. I put in a name like this: Maria Joaquina de \Freitas\. By putting in the backslashes it separates de from Freitas, so when I go into the imdex to look for this person it would be found under Freitas. And Paulo made an interesting point on bringing the names into current status. Previously, I was using Manoel for Manuel, Anna for Ana etc. I have recently started to modernize the names, making Roza, Rosa. I think that is a good way to keep the files. Also on Family Tree Maker, I added a tab called Name Variation, in that place I list all of the alias' as Paulo mentioned. It just makes it easier to keep track of. Hope that helps! Denise D'Antona In a message dated 3/26/2005 11:33:45 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, darwin@spamcop.net writes: Cece, These are the rules I'm using, which I got from my own experience: 1. The "De" particle, as in "de Freitas" or "dos Santos" shall never be included in the surname; 2. Patronimics, as in "Maria Rodrigues daugther of Rui Fernandes, son of Fernão Dias" shall not be used as a surname, unless you're certain that it really has become a surname; 3. Always update the name to it's current version: No "Affonços" or "Hyeronimos" shall remain. And specific to the point of this thread, 4. Include every (useful) version of the name as an alias, if your software allows that. For example, Maria, daugther of João Correia de Aguiar and Ana de Freitas can be known as Maria Correia, Maria de Aguiar, Maria Correia de Aguiar or Maria de Freitas. 5. Try to make the distintion between nicknames and surnames. In the case of the "Gomes Jardim" Gomes is a true surname, while Jardim seems to be a nickname. When it is passed to the descendancy it was always "Gomes Jardim" or "Gomes", but never or very rarely "Jardim". The same with the "Gomes Perneta". On these cases I use "Gomes Jardim" as a surname. On the other cases, of double surnames, I do as in point 4 and *never* use them combined. With a database of more than 60.000 names, I can tell you that it is working quite well. :) Paulo On Sat, 26 Mar 2005 07:21:46 -0600, Cece Camara <cece@soccer4all.com> wrote: > I was just wondering about how most of you deal with these in your family > tree program. > I am talking of course about the Fernades de Aguiars, or the Affonso da > Silvas or the Martins de Nobregas > etc etc... > > Do you use just the final surname as the last name or the conjoined > names as > the last name? > I can't decide which is the easier way to find these people. The most > frustrating thing > is that you will find them with just one surname on one record and a > conjoined surname on the next! > Then, how do you decide which one to use? > > I seem to be going back and forth depending on the name...but it's > getting > really diffucult > as my database is nearing 3000 names...and they are getting harder to > find! > > I guess I'd really like to know if there is a geneaological standard for > how > to record these names. > > Cece > > > > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > -- " Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas regumque turres." -- Horacio ============================== 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 ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx