The Name the Same?

Have you found a document where your family name is not spelled the way you think it should be?   Don’t be so quick to dismiss it.  It just may pertain to your family.

I know, I know.  Your family name has always been spelled a certain way, and it’s always another branch of the family that wrote it differently.

Think again.

The census taker may have written the name the way he heard it.  Others spelled their name differently each time they wrote it because there was no standardized version or the person didn’t know how it was spelled.

My Crysler family name has been found written Crysler, Chrysler, Kreissler, Kreussler, Krausler, and Greisler.

It is only in recent  years that people have been consistent in how names are written.

Two points to consider:

1.  Don’t be overly concerned with the spelling of the name in a document.  If all other points in the source match up to your ancestor, and there are no negative elements that cannot be explained, you just might have found the right man.

2.  Be creative in the possible name spellings you submit as you search indexes, etc.