When Ancestors Changed Names (Genealogy Research Tip)

Names changes or unexpected names can be confusing in your genealogy research. Here's how to pull out more clues so you can sort out your family tree.

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[TheRoadLessPaved]

I found the census takers were most often the guilty party when it came to changing names! They spelled what they heard and left it as is. Even when family members lived in close proximity, if that member spoke better English they had a stronger chance of getting the name entered correctly. Currently working on one family that has at least ten variations of Koehler passed down through the years, ending in Kuller, Cole, Kell, etc.

[loiseldridge]

In many cases in the early 1900s many French Canadians moved across the border to the US. To Americanize themselves they translated their French names to English. Desjardin became Gardner, Dubois became Wood, Courtemanche became Shortsleeves, often their trades became their surnames Taylor, and so on and on …. Interesting but a knowledge of French does help in researching.

[lindaeasley]

My great grandmother's name was Samantha but researching records I've come across spellings like Symantha and on one census record (1930) when she was living in my grandparents' household she was identified as Mattie

[tutankhamun]

I was researching a distant branch in my tree 10 years ago where the family left Canada and moved to Massachusetts by the 1880's. One of the children, Ida Deslauriers, eventually married a man named John Hoague. However, in most of the children's birth records, her maiden name had been listed as "Lacaresse" instead.

I thought that was odd, but I dismissed the name discrepancy as a potential transcription error, given that everything else matched with other records and censuses. However, the couple divorced by 1922, and the wife and children suddenly disappeared after 1930. I tried everything that I could think of, and eventually came to the conclusion that maybe Ida returned to Canada with her children.

It wasn't until one their descendants reached out to me years later and explained that Ida divorced John after she caught him with another woman. Following the divorce, Ida legally changed her surname, as well as her children's, from "Hoague" to "Lacaresse" in order to disassociate themselves from her ex-husband and mistress.

[sarab]

I’m the family history and genealogy person in my family. I have some ancestors from Sweden and Norway, so I know the Johann thing you mentioned. One thing I find fascinating is that when they immigrated, they changed their name a bit to make it easier for those around them, who wouldn’t know how to pronounce their birth names. I’m glad I found your channel! Thank you for the great tips!

[scottharnish]

I just laughed out loud at “so many Johans”.

[chrismoule]

I love the informants on death certs. That little box is often a mine of information and can work both ways - you can trace daughters with it.

[dianetourville]

Thank you, Amy! What is killing me is when someone is identified with different middle name initials throughout his life. That happens with the French Canadians I’m researching in Vermont.

[joefromravenna]

My problem with their name change was the lack of consistency. Some records give both surnames or switches them back and forth. My mom’s ancestors changed surname. Over the course of 70 years the surname went back and forth until it stabilized and the alias became the permanent new surname. In another case the alias never became permanent and in the last 100 years it disappeared completely.

[jostclair]

My great grandfather Stephen Brannen, lived in Maine with his wife and 7 daughters. He deserted them and went west. He did not divorce the 1st wife.... some where along the way he changed his name to Stephen St. Clair (why? who knows) In PA he met and married Mary Murphy who was 16 and he was 36. They moved to Michigan. His birthdates on records are anywhere between 1836-1842. My mother had gotten a great deal of information about this thru Civil War pension records back in the 1980's!!!! so I was aware of the name change. He was quite a skallywag! It is a challenge to work with the name ST. CLAIR. It's alphabetizweed incorrectly, sometimes it's only CLAIR or ST, Sinclair is also an option but I have yet to find anyone of those. I've been searching him for almost 15 years. Still finding things. :)

[frankhooper]

I have an interesting family group in my tree. In 1840 a William HONEYBUNN married Susannah DAVIS. in the 1841 and 1861 censuses, they're using the surname VAUGHAN and in 1851 the variation VAUNE. Then in 1881 & 1891, Susannah is back to being listed as HONEYBUN. All the children appear to have also reverted/changed to HONEYBUN or HUNNYBUN.

[s.barryholland]

Searched for almost 20 years for the father of my 5th great grandfather Lewis Holland. A couple of years ago I found a deed where Anthony Van Pelt left a slave to Lewis Holland "for the good will and friendship I have for my son". I have since found a court minute entry for Lewis where he was first listed at Lewis Pelt, but Pelt was scratched out and Holland written above.

[suelane]

Also, I spent 20 years searching for a Thomas Frank Bowling (known as Frank) from whom I inherited my maiden name. I finally sent off for the death of a Stephen Bowling and it turned out that he was our Thomas Frank! Even more so as he named himself Thomas even though his brother Thomas tragically died young. And his brother Hezekiah also called himself Frank after the tragic death of Stephen! No wonder I was confused. The reason for the name change I think is that Stephen was travelling with his brother Hezekiah who as a quack doctor selling very expensive cure-alls to rich people. He had to keep one step ahead of the police. Hezekiah only changed his name after his description was posted in the Police Gazette and his in-laws, also quacks were banged up in prison. Hezekiah had a string of pseudonyms preceded with the word Doctor. (There is a website devoted to quack doctors with some of the information.)

[feliciagaffney]

So... for whatever reason, I recently found your channel. I'm VERY MUCH enjoying it, and getting some new tips. I've been trying to figure out where to describe my current problem ancestress. I think this os the best place, b/c obviously, it is with her name that I have the biggest issue.

I don't know what came first. Finsing this family in the Census or obtaining this photo. I feel like I most likely already had the early Census records first, since they are easily found in 1860 and 1870.

So, a great uncle gave me some family photos many, many years ago since I was interested in genealogy. He gave me these photos of folks who are not our direct ancestors, so perhaps he didn't feel as attached to them. But I love them. Took me a while to figure out who the younger girls were (teen sisters, and even tho they were actually identified on the back incredibly useful amd priceless!!] with similar names in the family, it took somw time for things to make sense)... and the other was identified simply with her name. She was a bigger conundrum for a while.

It is a beautiful photo of a beautiful young woman, 20-30's, late 19th century. Doesn't narrow things down too much. So, I finally determined this lady, Kate Rose, is my great grandmother's great aunt. The other inage of the girls are her neices whose father had gone west (Indiana), around the time of the Civil War. The rest of the family have all been in NC.

But, Kate had a different name as a child. Her parents called her Penina. I have no other connection to that name, and haven't seen it other places (except a few times recently on newspapers.com).

Early on, I found Kate's headstone at the county pauper cemetery. Which I can't understand. But, she must have been estranged from her close relatives. Things match, so I am certain that Kate and Penina are one and the same. There are very few Roses in this county. So, one would expect that researching this family would be a breeze, right?? Alas... it has never been this simple. They appear to have created very few official records. Grrrr!!

With the use of newspapers.com, I FINALLY some years ago found her married, several counties over as an older lady. She married a Rowe and her maiden name had been misspelled as "Roe" on that marriage record. 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️ So, I have found her late marriage and divorce.

I have her in her parents' home as a child, and her later years married, and then her final resting place (of which newspapers.com has again shed SOME light on why she's there... but I don't totally understand the context and have to ask someone about it).

I am missing the middle of her life. In fact, other than my direct ancestor, her sister, I am missing ALL of the rest of her sisters. One had married and left the house between 1870 and 1880 (presumably... but I guess she could have died). I can't tell if ALL the rest of the sisters died, or what. The only other one that is traceable is the brother who went west. There's like 5 or so missing daughters. There's no marriage records. In fact, I can't find Kate with a first marriage to explain her missing years. Looks like she went back to her maiden name to marry when she was older... if she WAS married prior. Some record somewhere she has either both names as initials, or she is listed as Kate P, which solidifies my conviction that she really IS the Penina in her parents' home. All the records make sense. Dates, father's name... I am convinced Kate is Penina.

I fall into the huge frustration of not having the 1890 Census.

I am bound and determined to figure out ALL of her life... but I have had such a problem tracing those missing... 20 or 30 years, or whatever it is.

[Sydroo]

My Mexican grandma was named Rachelita and she had no middle name. Back in the 1960s she had a co-worker tell her she looked like a Connie. She went by that name till she died a few years back. She kept her legal name Rachelita. Always introduced herself as Connie. Everyone in the family called her that. It wasn't till I was a teenager that I found out her real name.

[bcarithers]

Hey, I just found your channel today. Good advice, a little bit of humor and more good advice. Great Job! I’ve subscribed.

[joanhuffman]

I once found several generations on ancestry where all the males were named Johan and they used the same set of middle names for 3 generations Johan Michael, Johan Valentin, Johan Georg.

[judygreeneRedheadbeauty]

My great grandparents on my dad’s side, both died, leaving 6 boys in the care of her mother. Their last name was Greenberg. This GGma changed their last name to a Greene. She was not Jewish. Then she enrolled them in military school. My dad found out about this info in 1988, when his dad died. My dad had suffered a stroke 2 yrs prior, and he “forgot” to tell us when he got home. I discovered this when I joined ancestry and did the dna test to show I am Russian Jewish. Funny side note, my daughter is dating a man named Berg. I gave her my last name at birth, so if she marries him, she can be GreeneBerg!

[fishinwidow]

My great grandfather was William or Willie in all records. That is how I think of him and talk about him and research him. I was talking to my mother about him and she asked "Are you talking about Old Bill Thompson?" hahaha I had never thought to look him up that way.

[douglasw]

after 30+ years of research I've seen it all. One of my lines was originally Dolton...but as time went on about 1/3 of the family switched to Dalton (probably tired of correcting folks). Also a real migraine generator is the lack of name creativity in families. For example I know of one old west fellow I'm related to who named one son Charles (died young) another Charles Christopher and another Christopher. Another ancestor had sons Cabel and Caleb, and daughters Nancy and Nancy Margaret. Another ancestor gave two sons the middle name Elmer and of course they both used the name on occasion. But more on point was my great grandfather who was born Claremont and went by Claude after becoming a cowboy (a better cowboy name?)...took me a couple years to figure that one out.