Many Names, One Person: Data Entry Tips for All that Information

Many Names, One Person: Data Entry Tips for All that Information | Ancestry

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Күн бұрын

Hannah Maria Ericsdotter is the daughter of Eric Hansen. When she immigrated to the United States as a child with her brothers her name was listed as Hannah Ericson. She reunited with her parents when they immigrated a few years later and on the subsequent census she is listed as Mary Hessler (the Swedish farm name her father used when he moved to America). A few months after that census she got married and became Hannah Peterson. So, how should all of those names be recorded?
Join Crista Cowan for a look at some best practices for recording information in your family tree.
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Many Names, One Person: Data Entry Tips for All that Information | Ancestry
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Пікірлер: 81

@bobbethune Жыл бұрын

It would be hugely good if Ancestry would provide a “Description” field on name, alternate name, and AKA events. There are plenty of cases where we need a way to explain a name, and putting the explanation right into the name event itself is a superior way to do that.

@AncestryUS Жыл бұрын

Hi Bob, thanks for stopping by. We appreciate the feedback and will pass it along to the proper teams. If you have any additional feedback on this or any other matter you can provide it directly to us here, support.ancestry.com/s/article/Providing-Feedback-About-Ancestry?language=en_US

@leighbratcher1998 4 ай бұрын

This video is 7 years old and I found it immensely helpful.

@stingrayofcincinnati 5 жыл бұрын

This is so important to remember and to share with people. I do Jewish genealogy and there is the English names and the Hebrew names and nicknames. This really helps.

@terrytfrog 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this video. The surname change has been frustrating to understand, and no one, until you has explained it in such a logical, intelligent manner. Now it's time to go back to my tree and clean up any issues. Also, thanks for all the other great videos online!

@jwebbtx1961 8 жыл бұрын

Crista, Thank you for these instructional videos. I as so glad I watched your videos before uploading my gedcom. I think I avoided much heart ache. Just wanted you and other staff to know we appreciate.

@SuperManning11 8 жыл бұрын

This was very helpful. I've been having a time with all these name variants and nick names used as given names, etc. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some serious clean-up to do! Again, I really appreciate these videos, keep 'em coming!

@metrolady72 8 жыл бұрын

Very informative, I needed this.

@getprettyfit1997 3 жыл бұрын

This is clip was so informative and helpful. I cannot wait to update my tree.

@mdaly724 6 жыл бұрын

My great-grandmother was born Sarah Margaret. As a child she was called Maggie. She married at 15 and that's the name on her marriage license application. After marriage, she was called (and showed up in records as) Sarah. Sometime after her first husband died she became known as Margaret. It feels like the evolution from child to young woman/mother to mature woman.

@micheleolson1825 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this information, it was extremely helpful for me. My paternal family (grandparents and later) lived in Romania and spelling of names is quite varied.

@brendarunyon2975 Жыл бұрын

Going through this now with a 2nd great grandmother who has 2 middle names and 1 of them has a variable through the years. It has been a huge challenge. There is no date of death other than the year on her headstone. Thank you for the tips!

@jerrysamuelson1247 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. This helped a lot.

@AuthorChuckMiceli 3 жыл бұрын

Very helpful. Thank you.

@AncestryUS 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Chris. We're happy to help. When adding this type of fact to the individual's profile you should be seeing a 'Description' field where you can add details. If you aren't seeing this on your tree, would you please private message us with your Ancestry username and a screenshot of it?

@oldsebago Жыл бұрын

After 20 years I'm still learning. I like some of these tips a lot!!

@CristaCowan Жыл бұрын

Yay!

@wannaberocker3057 8 жыл бұрын

Another reason not to use titles like Doctor, General, etc. I've found ancestors whose names are actually Doc, General, Major, and even Admiral - often because they were named after someone admired.

@djsingp 3 жыл бұрын

If you see this, I’d love more info on how you add stories to the gallery. For example, how do you format it? Steps to adding to the gallery.

@wyospring8797 8 жыл бұрын

I can not stand to look at my ancestry alphabetical list with 100's names that are only first names when you go to the alphabetical list, which I use all the time. Also for research when you see 100 Annas, I would have to click on every person to see who they belong to as child or a parent, so I use this in the first blank "Anna wife of Bill" or "Anna w/o Alexander B." Then in the second blank the man's last name "Kraft" After all Anna was a Kraft many years and will be in the records that way. This is fast easy way to research those elusive women. I love how this works. Since listening to your post, I am wondering about another item. I put the cross symbol in the suffix blank, so when it is printed out or when I am looking at the alphabet or adding a name, etc. I will know the person died as a baby and will have not have a spouse or children and most of the hints will not apply. How does that mess up the searching process?

@byrdma12 2 жыл бұрын

My family tree contains many ancestors with the same names, nicknames help to identify who’s who. Ancestry ignores the nickname if it is surrounded by “ or ( ). Including the nickname in the name reduces much confusion. I use () for titles, such as Duke, etc. If the maiden name is unknown, I use the married name. It works for me.

@junelovell1189 3 жыл бұрын

Crista: I don't know if you see comments on old videos but this video as well as one I viewed previously on 'Comments' vs 'Notes', has changed my life. And, I'm not exaggerating. I've been researching since I was 11 years old and I'm 75 now. I joined Ancestry because of Arlene Eakle's visits to the Ventura County Gen Soc / SoCal Gen Soc appearances. I am rarely disappointed with your info but the naming problems, especially with UScensus enumerators in the deep south have created such problems as 'Esta' (one of my great aunts) who is actually 'Esther', etc. I have to run through a list of possibles in the deepest southern accent I can muster, to try to figure out exactly who they were talking about: ages are frequently WAY off. Now I'm going to have to start combing through the 10,000 names in my tree to ensure these 'problems' are appropriately dealt with. Thankyouverymuch, as Elvis would say.

@CristaCowan 3 жыл бұрын

Oh, June - I am so pleased to hear that you have found these videos helpful to you in your family history journey. That's all I hope for when I put them together.

@suedefoor8201 8 жыл бұрын

this is informative. I have a 2x great grandfather was AMbrose Fredenburgh, but we cannot find his parents or siblings. We know he was born between 1830 and 1837 in Upper Canada, maybe Mallorytown Ontario. His surname may have started out van fredenburgh or Fredinburg, and on and on. With Ambrose being so different would have thought it would have been easy to find, but Nooooo not easy at all. And I have found lots of people had no middle names listed on anything.

@joewalker36 Жыл бұрын

What about things like Jr or Sr or III. Should they be added as an alternate name or just left tagged on to the end of the name?

@Brenypo 8 жыл бұрын

In regard to nick names or even name variances - I have seen so many trees where they add this name in parenthesis after the original name in the first name field. You suggested adding the name in a fact or as an alternate name. Would the search engines pick up these names the same way if added as a fact or alternate as it would when added in parenthesis in the name field?

@AncestryUS 8 жыл бұрын

+Breny Breeze They aren't considered either way. This is where researching specific databases (as opposed to using the hints or search from tree feature) becomes an important part of your research process. I explain that in more detail in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hMqCl66Xm8yRaZs.html (Crista)

@jerrysamuelson1247 3 жыл бұрын

I wrote a comment on your 2013 youtube video on this subject. I thought I would bring it up to 2016. I know that this is an old post but I thought I'd ask anyway. My maternal grandfather changed his name and then went back to his original name if that makes sense. He got married and had 3 children, including my mother, and then got divorced under the assumed name. Then he went back to his original name sometime in a 4 year span. I've added his other name on Family Tree and Ancestry. I'm assuming that if somebody puts his original name in a search in Ancestry my tree will show up because that's preferred but if somebody types his other name in the search it won't give them my tree. I tried and only his preferred name took me to my tree. It would be nice if both names brought the researcher to the same tree.

@onederwomansharon 3 ай бұрын

How do I best do a person such as William the Conqueror? Or I have a lot of family around 1000-1200 d’Ivry? Lots of Dukes of also. Thanks :)

@jd65556 4 жыл бұрын

So it doesn't matter which custom fact you choose, I can use either option and the algorithm will still use it?

@coreyalemand9949 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video. My question that I was searching for when I found your video has to do with names, such as Spanish names, that have “de” (of) in the name. I am unsure how best to enter this in Ancestry. For example, if the persons name is Francisco Martin de Alemán, what do I put in the surname? “ de Alemán “, or just “ Alemán “ and if so what do I do about the “ de “? On Wikipedia, the answer per the Chicago Manual Of Style is you can do either depending on who the person is - which is not helpful.

@joestockton76 2 жыл бұрын

I include the de with the surname

@caroltorssell8628 Жыл бұрын

I am sharing this with a group of fellow new genealogists hoping to get them started on the right foot! Good info here, but one question: Is it okay to put an alternate first name in ( ) after the first name? i.e. Wincenty (Vincent) Zielinski Does this do anything to the search - help or hinder? Thanks so much.

@AncestryUS Жыл бұрын

Hi Carol, thanks for stopping by. We are glad to hear that you found this video useful. That is one thing you can do, you can also add facts directly to the person's profile. You can learn more about managing facts and events here, support.ancestry.com/s/article/Managing-Facts-and-Events?language=en_US

@MelanieElaineH 8 жыл бұрын

Should I begin my family tree to include myself and other living individuals when working with our DNA profiles? Or is this family tree data base only meant to refer to the departed? Thank you.

@MelanieElaineH 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your response. I've recently made my family tree public, because I now feel certain that my research is as accurate as can be found at this time. I've read that living individuals aren't included in a public family tree, and that's what started me to wonder about the relationship (no pun intended) of my tree and any DNA results. Thanks again for your assistance. After I listened to your recommendations concerning a public tree verses a private one, it now makes a lot more sense to have my tree a public one.

@ardrrr2598 7 жыл бұрын

Hi, I'm still wondering about women's married names... 1) If there's a woman in your tree who has a maiden name, then later you find a widowed surname in a census and not yet any records of the husband... how would you handle the widowed surname? Add the widowed surname as an alternate name... or create a spouse who's only fact is the different surname? 2) How much of a problem, relative to searches and hints (and other data manipulations), is adding married surnames as alternate names (with the maiden name always Preferred)? I know ancestry's routines will use a spouse's last name as an alternate search, but I like including married surnames in alternate names and not creating custom facts or some other tangential workaround. If not alternate, what about AKA?

@AncestryUS 7 жыл бұрын

1) I create a spouse named "_____ Surname." That way I have a placeholder for a person that actually existed so I know I need to find an additional marriage record or other information. 2) Alternate names and/or AKAs both work to track names an individual used throughout time. I choose to only use those when there is actually an entirely different name (such as an immigrant who adopts an American name that has little to no resemblance to their birth name) but you do what works best for you and your work flow. Hope that helped! ~Crista

@JS88JB 8 жыл бұрын

Crista - I have a question concerning Hebrew names and hopefully I am not too late to receive a response. When a child is born to a Jewish family even today, that child may be given both a birth name and a Hebrew name. I know I can show two Names in "Personal Information" and provide an explanation in the “Notes.” What I would like to do under "Personal Information" is to show "Name" followed by "Name Hebrew" but I have a feeling this isn't permitted by the genealogical standards or Ancestry's software. Am I correct in this assumption or is there any way to create the set up I desire? If I create a new fact called "Name Hebrew," it appears under "Individual Facts," which is not where it should be. The procedure I currently follow is to have a second "Name" field and insert the Hebrew name as the name with the word (Hebrew) following such name. I would like to thank you in advance for any information you can provide. - Joe

@AncestryUS 8 жыл бұрын

Joe - I do quite a bit of Jewish research. I just enter another name fact. Then I pick which one is preferred. The other will show up as an alternate name. Hope that meets your needs. (Crista)

@pdun8822 8 жыл бұрын

I'll a little behind on seeing this video, but should you see my post, I would love your advice. Can you have too many AKA's for the search protocols to function? I have a 2x great grandmother whose name is totally different on every single document I find on her. From Mary Elizabeth, to Elizabeth Mary, to Mary Ilsabein, to Ilsabein Mary, to Anna Margaretha Ilsabein, to just Mary, Elizabeth, Ilsabein, Anna and Margaretha and everything in between or combination you can conceive of. I have yet to find her maiden name. I cannot find a birth record for her as yet (since I don't know who I am looking for). I do know they are all the same person because I have found her probate record and it lists her children from her first marriage and her second marriage. I have found a marriage certificate for whom I believe is her and my 2nd great grandfather, but can't confirm that as yet. Just wondering if you can have too many AKA? 1 more question. according to the video, you shouldn't add variants to the AKA category, but if you have a name like Schauner, that was originally Schouwenaar, and holy moly the variances on that spelling are endless, should you possibly add an AKA because the spelling is so different? Thanks so much.

@AncestryUS 8 жыл бұрын

+p dunagan In your given name example, (and without seeing all of your evidence) I would probably enter her name as Mary Anna Margaretha Elizabeth. Then I would put my explanation for that in the person notes. For the surname question - I would determine which version of the surname I was going to use and then enter the variants in the notes.

@lizsonnek 5 жыл бұрын

Just watched your video and it answered some of my questions. However, I'm struggling w/ how to input certain name combos. EX: WILLIAM (ap EDWARD of Blockley) Williams. I know his first name is William and his surname is Williams. I'm not sure what to do w/ the info in parenthesis which literally means "son of" Edward of Blockley. EX: Annabella (of Scotland) Stewart. EX: Empress Matilda EX: John I (King of Scots) EX: Isabella of France (Queen of England). No last name to enter unless you count the "of France" as her surname. I also have many issues w/ Sirs, Ladies, Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, etc with some holding several titles. Have you thought of doing a segment just on Royalty titles? If you have done one already, could you direct me to that video? Thanks!!

@AncestryUS 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Liz! You are doing a great job in that you are pausing and thinking this through. Here are some basic "rules of thumb" that I use for data entry of names. 1. If the person did not have a last name (because they were royalty or because they lived in a time and place when last names were not used), I leave the last name field blank. (As opposed to when I just don't know the last name - in which case, I put 5 underscores in the last name field to indicate that I am still searching to fill in the blank.) 2. A title is not a part of a person's name so I never try to make it fit. As you have noted, a person may have multiple titles throughout their life. That is why Ancestry provides a TITLE option under FACTS. You can add a title, including the date which they obtained the title or earned or received the right to use it. 3. If you wish to use a descriptor as part of their name (ap... or of...) put it in the SUFFIX field as this will not interfere with most of the automated hinting, searching, matching systems. Hope that helps. (~Crista)

@lindadunn2031 5 жыл бұрын

@@AncestryUS When it is ap (assuming they are Welsh use just the ap because in a lot of cases the surname is the first name of the father. Otherwise I put a note under the name fact to clarify. ie. William ap Edward would have been the original name. Then he would have called his son say John ap William which makes Welsh searching so Tricky. ap simply means "son of" some welsh still name this way today. Same for Scandavaian names using father's first name and then dotter or sen or sson to show sex of child. (Sorry got carried away. Hope it helps)

@marywade1087 4 жыл бұрын

@@lindadunn2031 ;

@higglety230 6 жыл бұрын

I have several relatives who never went by their birth name. It seems as though an official name was registered and then never used. My grandfather never knew that the name he went by was not the name on his birth certificate until late in life. In this case it seems wrong to use the birth name since it is literally only on that one document and then never used again.

@cheriwhite-gobin179 8 жыл бұрын

Hi Crista, I recently read that when adding a surname to charts (pedigrees, family group sheets, etc) the "proper" genealogy way is to enter it in all caps. I notice that you do not have your surnames in all caps. I have not done this either. So is this an actual "proper" professional genealogy tactic? Or can I assume this is just the way the author of the book likes to do her documentation?

@AncestryUS 8 жыл бұрын

+Cheri White-Gobin Back in the early to mid 1900s when a lot of family history books were being published, people often put surnames in all CAPS so that others could quickly skim the book and pick out the surnames. This was also a way for the author to avoid creating an index for the book. It quickly became something of a standard among some genealogists. However, in the electronic world, where everything is searchable, there is really no need to do this. (Crista)

@lauriekl 6 жыл бұрын

My tree has gotten really large and I’m starting to proof each person and source everyone. I’ve been putting last names in ALLCAPS for direct ancestors, and only after finding sources to prove relationships. This really helps when scrolling my index.

@ellinlolisconsulting 2 жыл бұрын

Hello! Not sure if this is still monitored, but I'm curious how to record birthplace when the country doesn't exist anymore? My ancestor was born in Galicia Poland, which is sometimes listed as Austria in records since it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Since this isn't an option when creating a family tree, I'm a bit lost and don't want to miss out on any hints because I have the "wrong" birthplace. Thank you!

@AncestryUS 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Ellin, thank you for the question. One thing you can do is add note to the persons profile support.ancestry.com/s/article/Notes-and-Comments-in-Trees?language=en_US

@mamemu3130 Жыл бұрын

What about initials in place of names? How does one go about figuring out what name to search for when the only two census records found, list their name as initials?

@CristaCowan Жыл бұрын

Search by last name with a place.

@tomkearney5009 4 жыл бұрын

Your 2nd great-grandmother, Eliza Louisa Frances Jones's mother is entered as Margaret Frances Jones. Was Margaret born a Jones or did you enter her husband's surname, Jones. If the former, then it's fine (just a confusing example). If the latter, it goes against your own standard to enter a woman's maiden name, if known..

@brendasfreiert8277 7 жыл бұрын

How do you put the suffix Jr., III,etc, I have seen it in the middle or the end. which is proper?

@AncestryUS 7 жыл бұрын

In your Ancestry Online Tree, there is a field specifically for SUFFIX.

@brendasfreiert8277 7 жыл бұрын

Thank You for answering my question, I appreciate it.

@chrisrochfordtaxis2830 2 жыл бұрын

Why does the AKA fact only have a place for the name, not a date, or description?

@cheryldussault8599 8 жыл бұрын

I have an ancestor who was baptized as Antoine Hector Salois, 05Jan1846. Born in the morning of Jan 5th and baptized the same day at the church of Notre Dame de Montreal, Canada. He could NOT read or write and I have a few docs that show his "mark" as an X later in life. He shows up again in Sep 1864 - Sep 1867 (American Civil War = 1861 - 1865). He mustered out in Athens, Georgia at end of service of 3 years, as Anthony Selwah (perhaps how the French accent sounded phonetically to them in Georgia??). I then find him in 1888 getting married for the 2nd time as James Holmes (I have no idea where this name comes from). 1888 - Marriage (May 23rd) to Emma C Williams (maiden name: Emma Caroline Cobb) in Madison County, Alabama, USA. It is definitely the same guy - and there is a whole line with the last name of Holmes. From Alabama he moves to Kentucky, and then in 1893 I find him in New York as Antoine Savoie, and then in 1919 (still in New York) with the census showing him as Hector Soulvie. This man has many names!!!

@AncestryUS 8 жыл бұрын

+Cheryl Dussault Sounds like fascinating research. I'm really curious about the evidence you used to determine that Antoine Hector Salois and James Holmes are the same person. (Crista)

@cheryldussault8599 8 жыл бұрын

+Ancestry I was able to piece it together from many different sources, including 1880 US Census (Disctict 17, Lincoln, Tenn), Marriage record in 1888 for James Holmes & Emma Williams, formerly Emma Caroline Cobb, then a letter from National Archives dated Mar 16, 1939 addressed to F.H. Holmes regarding the pension record for the widow Emma Selweh, widow of Anthony Selweh - declaration of pension made Jan 20, 1915.... just to name a few sources. Also help from one of my cousins! We have a copy of the letter, and all sources cited as much as possible.

@freedindeed4587 2 жыл бұрын

I cannot edit a name in my own tree that is incorrect. I did not enter the information when I added this person - it has been changed. How do I change it back to the correct name? It's the name that is on the headstone and in my family records. Very frustrating. I also cannot add people. I've cleared cache and cookies as suggested, but I still cannot edit.

@AncestryUS 2 жыл бұрын

Hi FreedIndeed .Thanks for getting in touch with us. We appreciate you making us aware of this difficulty and are ready to help. It would be unusual to see information altered in your tree accept if you maybe recently accepted a hint that contained differing information on a given person. Alternatively, if you provided access to another person to your tree then they may have the right to edit it. If you're unsure then you can find how to double check this here support.ancestry.com/s/article/Sharing-a-Family-Tree?language=en_US . If this issue continues then this guide should help you to edit such information here bit.ly/3I5fb5k but please visit our support center should you need to get in touch with us about this or any other issue support.ancestry.com/s/contactsupport?language=en_US . Thanks again.🌳

@deckocards6988 8 жыл бұрын

How did you put in the task line? See below

@Ratchet4647 6 жыл бұрын

When you were adding an event for an alternate name the was an event titled caste, what is this used to mean?

@AncestryUS 6 жыл бұрын

Some cultures have hereditary classes of society that they want to track in their family history.

@Ratchet4647 6 жыл бұрын

Ancestry Interesting, are there other such systems than that in India that Ancestry has encountered?

@AncestryUS 6 жыл бұрын

There are many areas of the world that have practiced caste systems over time (and some that still do). You can learn more here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste

@beverlyncreary9876 5 жыл бұрын

My name spelling rong on all my kids them birth certificate can I get my green card still ..can my daughter do a DNA test for me to get my green card .I string to me I am so worried ..

@TeresaInGillingham 7 ай бұрын

This video seems a bit of a mess. First we're told that following standards helps with tips etc., then it seems it's do as you like. If I enter a name as an AKA will it really be as good for working out common ancestors as if I add it as an alternate name? We are told that for women we don't need to add a married name, but if the husband had more than one BUT only used one during the period of the marriage how will it know which? And no explanation of what a maiden name is. In England at least, a maiden name is the name used at the time of her first marriage. This may not be her birth name - mention was made of a person changing to use their step-father's name, but of course possibly more common, in England at least, is where born before marriage and so first named with their mother's surname, their parents then married and they changed to use their biological father's name. Women who don't marry don't have a maiden name, they simply have a name / surname.

@beverlyncreary9876 5 жыл бұрын

I am so worried . because my name on my daughter that file for me rong like Beverlyn is my right name Beverley in the rong name on my 5 kids ..and I am going for my green card soon they need all my kids them birth certificate ..I can't sleep I am so worried I get my social .

@jefffunke252 2 жыл бұрын

How would you best handle the practice in Germany of a man taking on his wife's surname when she inherited a farm? As an example, Johann Schmidt marries Greta Wagner, and then becomes Johan Wagner vulgo Schmidt.

@AncestryUS 2 жыл бұрын

Hi there Jeff! Thanks so much for watching, we hope you found this video to be helpful to you when conducting your research. That's a great question and we'd be happy to help! No matter who takes whose name following a marriage, the surname that the person was born with should be entered in the tree. You can add an additional name to the profiles in your tree though, so you could add an alternative name to Johan's profile to highlight his name following his marriage to Greta. You can learn more here: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Managing-Facts-and-Events?language=en_US Thanks so much for stopping by!