Typed in errors for last name ---many errors

LegacyUser

cecilia muth herman said: Mistakes are entered for my family. The last name is MOMMERS not the many other typed in versions. Very annoying ! RE: Richard MOMMERS b. 1846 b. Germany, residence CT. It is getting noticeably worse. Who is putting the names into your program ??

LegacyUser

Gordon Collett said: Are you looking at indexes? If so, try to check the actual records. You will find either that the original records have the spelling you don't like or that they are difficult to read and were indexed incorrectly.

As far as who is typing in the indexes, it is a huge group of volunteers. If you would like to help out so that these indexes are better, go to:
https://www.familysearch.org/indexing/
and give it a try!

It you could post an actual example of you concern, you might get a fuller explanation.

LegacyUser

Gordon Collett said: Are these some of the records you are concerned about?



If so, you'll just have accept that records come like that. Here is the image of the first one:



I'm not sure I would have called that second letter an I, but is is clearly not an O.

Here is the second one:



No doubt that that is a U.

As you do more and more research on your family, you will come to learn how flexible and relatively unimportant spelling is when searching for records.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: Something to keep in mind is that the persons who make the records often spelled the names as they heard it. Prior to 1900, most people were not literate enough to notice (or even know) when the name was spelled correctly.

It wasn't until governments mandated consistent spelling through programs like Social Security, that spelling became consistent. So inconsistent spelling existed even during the first half of the 20th century (in the United States).

LegacyUser

Adrian Bruce said: A classic transcription error is with u, n, m, w and probably i as well(?) - these are often just squiggles of up and down strokes (minims?) and while some people put enough curve on the letters to enable people to read them, in many cases it simply isn't possible for the newcomer to read the words without knowing what the words are to start with. Counting the ups and downs on Gordon's first screen-shot would have made me think "Mimmers", whereas the 2nd screen-shot does put curves into the letters.

LegacyUser

cecilia muth herman said: Appreciate the interest in my concern. Hopefully as researchers dig, they will be able to catch the errors to understand the name fits. This could explain why the frustration in not finding some missing names no matter how hard I've dug in other branches.

LegacyUser

Gordon Collett said: This issue of spelling variation is why FamilySearch uses a fuzzy search algorithm that tries to include every way a name might be spelled. While researching, you have to keep in mind that not only was spelling not that important through much of history but that records were made by very fallible humans and may have been made by low-paid workers who may not have been very interested in their jobs. Also, spelling variants are just the tip of the iceberg.

Here is a fun cautionary tale:
http://www.ancestryinsider.org/2014/1...

LegacyUser

Paul said: Try using wildcards if you think one or two of the letters could have been transcribed incorrectly. For example, if I am searching for my WRIGHTSON relatives I would input WR*GHT*N (upper or lower case). This also gives me Wrightson, Wreightson, Wreighton and Wrighton results. Another name I am researching is LATHAN. For this I input *ATH*N, LATHA* or LATH*N - as I am used to it appearing as, say, Sathan, Latham or Lathen.

Through experience, you get to know the more common errors and alternative spellings - which could have been made either in the original document or during the indexing process.

LegacyUser

cecilia muth herman said: Great ! Enjoying this sharing. A repeat phrase read with this == "this is why I probably can not find missing family". During an upcoming genealogy seminar, I can share all these thoughts.

LegacyUser

Roger Moritz said: Sometimes the indexer makes a mistake, or it's registrar's choice on the spelling, or both. But don't discount misspellings, as they will help you find them. I suggest even putting misspellings under alternate names as this will help you search.

Bad publicity is good publicity.

LegacyUser

cecilia muth herman said: Appreciate the suggestion ! Reading all the advice here in Maryland. .