Spelling Surnames

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Searching hand-written records can be a problem that will test your creativity and imagination. Most of the people in our townships had enough of an education so that they had a fairly firm idea of how their name should be spelled in German. Unfortunately, the census takers and record keepers did not. In fact, knowing my own ancestors, I think the record keepers were sometimes reluctant to ask about spelling. Also, in the case of the census, the enumerators would sometimes fill in their forms (when a family was not at home) by asking neighbors the questions.

The Census Indexes at the Wisconsin Historical Society Library in Madison, Wisconsin contain a preface that explains in detail the kinds of errors that can occur. If you start running into brick walls on your search, you might consider reading the prefaces for fresh ideas.


Here are some of the situations you may run into:

  • MISTAKES:  The record keeper flat out made a mistake. He would transpose letters, add or drop endings, etc. The census enumerator for Granville was particularly bad to the point that I think he was mildly dyslexic.
  • EVOLVING SPELLING:  The record keeper may use an Americanized spelling of an Old World spelling which the family itself is no longer using.
  • PHONETIC SPELLING:  Another common error is the fact that you have a record keeper with a strong German up-bringing trying to write in English what he is hearing in German. You will find names spelled phonetically with a strong German accent! Say them out loud and you will see what I mean.
  • HANDWRITING: These people were not appointed to do the record keeping on the basis of their penmanship. Combine poor penmanship with the old German script and you can have a nightmare trying to read some of these pages. Be aware that some of the recorders were in transition from the old German style to the more modern style that we are familiar with. They usually are not consistent in how they use which script.
  • POOR COPY: This work was done mainly from microfilm with frequent cross-checking with the originals when possible. The quality of the microfilming varies to some extent. The quality of the original paper varies dramatically. Ink is fading away, some pages are torn, and worst of all, the paper is sometimes moldy or badly water--stained, or both
  • ME: While the documents I have transcribed are rife with errors, it is also possible, even probable, that I too have made mistakes. When I find them, I will, of course, correct them. If you find them, let me know about them. Having said that I should not the rules that I am playing by. In most cases I stay as close to the record keeper's spelling as possible unless I know it is an error that I am comfortable in correcting. I try to include alternative spellings wherever possible especially in the Surname and Index files.