We need a way to record alternative spellings of ancestors names (parentheses were useful for that)
I've noticed that parenthesis marks are no longer allowed in the fields where first and last names are listed. That is a major problem for me. I used parentheses in many records in my very extensive family tree to indicate different spellings of people's names. Now all those records have red exclamation marks next to them - and the system won't let me use parentheses in new records even though I NEED to do it.
Different spellings were common where my ancestors lived because due to historical events (borders changing), different languages were used to record people's life events. So, for example, a person was born with a surname spelled one way, but by the time they died, that surname was written in a different way. I would always write the original spelling first, and then put the altered, or alternative, spelling in parenthesis. That was very useful - because it helps locate additional records that may have later (non-original) spellings. (Sometimes it's even impossible to figure out which spelling is original, as multiple spellings of the same surname were used - so I would put the less common spelling in parens.)
Now that the system will not let me use parenthesis - how do I indicate alternative spellings? If I just write them side by side, it really looks silly - multiple very similar names. Why can't we use parenthesis? Could we still use them, but insert an empty space between the parenthesis sign and the person's name - so the system would not get confused by the parenthesis sign right next to the name?
What is the solution to this problem?
Comments
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In the other information section of a person's page you can open a place to list alternate names and give reason for that alternate name. These names are also used in searches so it is a good place to put them. Also I find writing information in the life sketch section explaining things such as name changes can also help be a place that everyone can see and work together on these family members
Cindy Hecker
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You can put as many name as you need under Other Information as Alternate names. All of these names are used by the search, hint, and possible duplicates functions to find more information for you. That is, if someone puts "Bill Smith" in the Family Tree Find search fields, the results will include this William Abraham Smythe.
Pick one name to use as the main name, then put all the alternate spellings, nicknames, and name changes where they are designed to go rather than trying to put them all on one line:
This allows you to clearly show what each name variant was. In the reason statement you can put where each variant was found.
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Related post ...
Ideas > [ Topic ] Family Tree ...
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬
Brett
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Another related post, by another User/Patron ...
Ideas > [ Topic ] Family Tree ...
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐬 ( ) 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬
https://community.familysearch.org/en/discussion/84134/please-allow-parentheses-in-name-fields
Brett
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It would be really helpful to move the Alternate Names section next to the Current Name field instead of down in the Other Information section. That way, users would easily be able to find and use it.
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