List of 10,000 Revolutionary Soldiers 1775-1783

If you are searching for a surname using the spelling(s) you are familiar with, and not finding the person in question, try the following:

1. Say the name out loud. Think of all the possible ways that name could be spelled based on how it sounds. Using Soundex as a guide (see Story Page on the Soundex), determine different ways to spell a name. Remember that spelling was more or less irrelevant in past years. In fact, some people often tried to find as many different ways to spell their name as possible, and others were illiterate so any spelling was fine with them.
2. Take into consideration different ethnic backgrounds. A German naturalization officer may spell an Irish immigrant’s name the way it would sound to a German ear, not an English or Irish ear. In fact, the original name may have been translated into something more American or English. And immigrants whose names did not translate or “fit” into American society may have adopted completely different names or abbreviated their own name when they immigrated.
3. The process of finding a name is based on many steps. First the person said or wrote his name. Then someone else indexed that name based on how it looked to him or her. Unless the indexer is familiar with surnames in a specific area, there is a chance of misreading the written name. For example, an S could be mistaken for an L, and vice versa. K, B, and R can be easily misread, even if the following combinations of letters make no sense. I once searched in vain for a family by the name of Knox, only to find them by accident indexed as Rnox. Another problem is the handwriting of letters inside a name. Older handwriting indicates a double s as what we see as an fs. A single s appears as f. The letter o may be misread as a, u as ii, and m as nn or w. It is important to think of how the written name may appear on a page.
4. Try searching for the first name and a year or place, if the first name is common.

If you are searching for a place, remember that place names have changed over time. Boundaries of states, counties and townships have also changed as the population grew. You need to use the name of the place as it was known during the time period of your search.

January 4th, 2008 at 12:52 pm