Comments on: Your Quick Tips, 10 September 2007

by: Jean McKenney

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:34:03 +0000

When searching census records I have found that first names may be listed as nicknames such as Carrie or Carol for Caroline and Willie for William. Some census may only list initials instead of first and middle names. Sometimes the first name may be spelled differently in different census such as Lidia in one and Lydia in another, Miles in one record and Myles in other. When the father and son share the same name the son may go by his middle name or when mother and daughter share the same name one may go by a nickname. I have also found changes in the spelling of last names from one cesus to another or from one generation to the next. In my husbands family the last name was Thometz in 1920 census but listed as Thomits in 1930. The McKenney name was spelled McKenny in earlier census. Some changes are due to family changes and others may be because the census takers assumption on spelling or what name he thought he was told.

by: Mary Vance

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:44:58 +0000

re: Birth Record may not include given name. My dad was born in Poolville, Texas, in 1918. The birth listing included his parents correct names, and the correct location and birthdate, but listed him as female!

by: Loretta Garcia-Cavazos

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:19:41 +0000

I would like to continue with some variations of Hispanic name searches. When looking for many last names, including Garza, Pena, Santos, you also need to check de la Garza, de la Pena, and de los Santos, as well as all together as delaGarza, delaPena, delosSantos. In most Ancestry.com searches, Garza will include de la Garza, and vice versa, but will not find delaGarza. I prefer not using the “de la” so all the other “de la” names aren’t found, but the results do vary.
Not all family members shortened their names, and some may be found with or with out other prefaces, as de Hinojosa or de Trevino; or as de Avila, and not Davila. Is also is not uncommon to find families listed by their mother’s maiden name, especially when transcribed by Americans. Americans often use the mother’s maiden name as a middle name, where Hispanic tradition is both the father’s followed by the mother’s. However, not all transcriptions allow for both as a surname, so the mother’s name becomes the default surname in some records.