Many new family researchers insist that their surname has always been spelled the “correct” way – just as they spell it today. Because they hold fast to that belief, they often miss records of their ancestors. Before the days when everyone knew how to read and write, names were spelled phonetically – the way they sounded. People with the last name “Askew” may find hundreds of records with a variety of spellings including “Askq,” “Asku,” “Askque,” and “Askyou.”
A friend of mine named “Wingate” tells me that in Maryland where he is from they pronounce his name “Winget.” So it’s no surprise that there are many colonial records spelling the name “Winget.” As immigrants came into the United States, there was a gradual shift in the spelling and pronunciation of surnames as they sought to fit into American culture. The Hungarian name “Csaki” may be transformed to “Sharkey.” Even naturalization papers used a variety of spellings, sometimes on the same form.
The use of fixed spelling of our surnames came about with the Social Security Act of 1936. At that time, we filled out identification papers with our birth date, birth place, father’s name and mother’s maiden name, and we were given a Social Security card to carry with us. At that point, we had the “correct” spelling of our surname on a document in our pocket.
As you research documents, use the location and time frame as well as the spelling of the name to lead you to documents that tell the stories of your ancestors.
Carol Cooke Darrow is a certified genealogist who is available at the National Archives facility, 17101 Huron St., Broomfield, Colorado, on Thursday afternoons, noon – 4 pm to help with your genealogy research.