10
votes
Accepted
How to handle name changes in records?
Name changes are just awkward, and there's no real perfect way to handle them.
The general standard is to record names as they were at birth. For example, in genealogies women are usually recorded ...
- 18.5k
10
votes
Given Name in parenthesis on Cemetery Stones
PolyGeo's answer is correct that the names in parentheses are nicknames. It is quite common to include nicknames in either parentheses or quotation marks, and usually it is more clear than this ...
- 18.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Inferring father/son relationships from Senior (Sr.) / Junior (Jr.) naming?
In the colonial period, language usage for kinship terms (and other terms) was not necessarily the same as it is today. Several of the 'how to' books I've read have said that in the colonial period, '...
- 24.3k
7
votes
A standard for names
Names around the world do not follow the Western conventions that we're so familiar with. In particular, the use of upper- and lower-case characters. Some languages do not have such a concept because ...
- 5,897
6
votes
Did other countries have the concentration of first names that England had in past centuries?
Oooh, I like this question. And I have data to contribute!
This data set is from the Israel Genealogy Research Association's "All Israel Database" (http://genealogy.org.il/AID/index.php) which, as ...
- 1,860
6
votes
When documenting location, should current or historical place names be used?
The problem with using "current" names as the only name, is that "current" changes over time. Is the Crimea part of the Ukraine or of Russia. If you attempt to use "current" you're dooming yourself to ...
- 61
6
votes
Given Name in parenthesis on Cemetery Stones
I think the most likely reason for the name in brackets to be considered important enough to place on their headstone would be that it represents the name that they used between them and/or amongst ...
- 11k
5
votes
What are some of the main conventions used in Gramps?
I suggest that you start at our portal: https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php?title=Portal:Using_Gramps
There's a lot to read over there, including suggestions on how to record data in various ...
- 1,395
5
votes
Accepted
Should suffixes like Jr (Junior) and Sr (Senior) be added to family tree?
The usual standard is to record the name as on the birth certificate. Any embellishments like Sr/Jr would be recorded as a "Known As" data point rather than as part of the person's name.
So, it ...
- 1,160
5
votes
Spelling alternatives for polish name "Mushke"
The document is a registration card issued by Central Committee of Polish Jews - Division of Records and Statistics.
Line 1 gives the last name of the person (although both are given on this line), ...
- 778
5
votes
Accepted
Using name numbering for fathers, sons, etc
Not properly. The reason to use the numeral is to distinguish two people with the same name. So if they have different middle names, no need to use the numeral.
The Suffix (name) entry in Wikipedia ...
- 18.5k
4
votes
How should I record women with unknown maiden name?
The GEDCOM Standard 5.5.1 makes it quite clear that an unknown name (given name or surname) should be left blank:
NAME_PERSONAL:= {Size=1:120}
[
<NAME_TEXT> |
/<NAME_TEXT>/ | ...
- 18.5k
4
votes
Place of birth listed on immigration docs but where in Russia is Kosnitza/Kosnitze?
It was likely Velikaya Kosnitsa. It had sizeable Jewish population in the beginning of XX century:
http://www.jewishgen.org/ukraine/GEO_town.asp?id=313
Here is some additional info about it (Russian ...
- 481
4
votes
Should suffixes like Jr (Junior) and Sr (Senior) be added to family tree?
You say "in family trees", but I'm wondering if you mean generally in genealogical software products -- this would include those more devoted to family history than just trees. In both scenarios, it ...
- 5,897
4
votes
How to handle name changes in records?
It appears there is no set standard in recording name changes. Some sites offer a special section to add an alias or alternate name, but if you're looking to print-out your family tree (like I am), ...
- 41
4
votes
Accepted
Americanization of Polish names
Keep in mind, in 1885 Poland did not exist as an independent country, and the population was rather mixed between speakers of different languages. On top of this (and partly because of this), people ...
- 628
3
votes
In 17th century Scotland/Virginia, could a Jr. have a different name than his father?
The suffix "Junior" could have been used for a number of reasons, none of which are particularly specific to the United States or Scotland. There is not and has never been a formal definition of its ...
- 18.5k
3
votes
Accepted
Middle name or two first names?
Most of my British ancestors have only one or no middle name which makes it easy i.e. I would leave the middle name field blank for those without one.
However, my 4th great grandmother (Louisa ...
- 11k
3
votes
Did other countries have the concentration of first names that England had in past centuries?
Excellent work showing the cross-cultural regularity. Collecting the name data and summarizing it reasonably is a huge amount of work. Thank you for your contribution to public knowledge!
...
3
votes
Did other countries have the concentration of first names that England had in past centuries?
Bottom Line: There is some evidence that the tendency for a few given names to dominate is also seen elsewhere in Europe, even if the top names are not John and Mary
Evidence Point 1: Lowland ...
- 2,988
3
votes
How should I record women with unknown maiden name?
In Family Historian, which is the software I use, the user can customise the fields available in the Records View screen, which is the screen that looks like a spreadsheet. For a screenshot, see What'...
- 24.3k
3
votes
What is the proper way to denote that a person is known by his/her middle name?
So far as I can see, neither the GEDCOM 5.5 nor 5.5.1 specifications have an item that enables one to record which given name is actually used in normal life. That suggests that, with no target to aim ...
- 11.2k
3
votes
Accepted
Earls and Dukes are Titles, AKAs, Suffixes or something else?
They are titles. Specifically, Duke and Earl are two of the five titles in the British peerage:
The five titles of the peerage, in descending order of precedence, or rank, are: duke, marquess, earl, ...
- 5,122
2
votes
Is it OK to use the word "County" in an American place-name?
In general, I would say that there is certainly nothing wrong with using the word county when referencing a US place name. In some cases, it is necessary in order to correctly identify the location. ...
- 863
2
votes
Accepted
Relationship between Baldwin II and IV of the Crusades?
I'm not certain that this question is on-topic for G&FH SE, but I will attempt to answer it anyway.
The way that I read the relevant Wikipedia pages is that:
Baldwin II was succeeded by his ...
- 11k
2
votes
Accepted
No first name on baptism record?
Parish registers in the Church of Scotland tend to be less well organized and structured than their counterparts south of the border in England. Particularly in highland parishes, sometimes no parish ...
- 18.5k
2
votes
What is the proper way to denote that a person is known by his/her middle name?
It is largely a matter of personal preference, but the convention I have sometimes seen used is to include the "unused" first name in parentheses.
For example, for Walter Peter Nobb who was known as ...
- 18.5k
2
votes
What is the proper way to denote that a person is known by his/her middle name?
Whereas a nickname or abbreviated name, might be enclosed in quotes (e.g. Anthony "Tony" Proctor), using a middle name (there may be several to pick from) already has a precedent in Germany. Their "...
- 5,897
2
votes
Americanization of Polish names
I have definitely seen the male name Jno on records. I always thought maybe it was a misspelling, but maybe it is correct. You can search for naturalization records, if doesn’t give original name, ...
- 41
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible