Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Starting to feel at home
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    44

    Default Different Surnames

    I have a family in England, lets say name 'Smith', for which I have a quite a number of individuals and relating data over several generations. These I record on the basic version of RM6. (not published but that'll be another thread!)

    I now know that my first generation of 'Smith' came from overseas with quite another surname, lets say 'White'. I can see that my 2nd and subsequent generations of 'Smith' remain just that as that's what in on their birth records but how do I record the first generation? A change to 'White' would not be correct for their English records; a seperate record of their previous 'White' life would mean a 2 families where they are just one - unless they can be liked somehow.

    How best to proceed is the question - and I suspect this would be the same with most other makes of software. Your thoughts please.

  2. #2
    Knowledgeable and helpful
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Wakefield, West Yorkshire
    Posts
    626

    Default

    Any software worth it's salt should have the option for storing alternative names.
    Most have a tab to click which allows such additions.
    Cheers
    Guy
    As we have gained from the past, we owe the future a debt, which we pay by sharing today.

  3. #3
    Starting to feel at home
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    44

    Default

    Thanks Guy

    Pretty sure there is a tab on my software that allows for an alternate name to be added to the 'base' name. However while I cannot be certain, I suspect the alternate name will only apply to that individual - fair enough as it may only be a nickname - but will not be searchable as a family name - and therefore gets 'lost'.

    I suspect I may have to decide whether to call them 'White' or 'Smith' but no harm is seeing if a better brain has devised something else.

    cheers

  4. #4
    Famous for offering help & advice
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,729

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lennythelemur View Post
    Pretty sure there is a tab on my software that allows for an alternate name to be added to the 'base' name. However while I cannot be certain, I suspect the alternate name will only apply to that individual - fair enough as it may only be a nickname - but will not be searchable as a family name - and therefore gets 'lost'.
    In RootsMagic 6 (and I think earlier versions too), alternative surnames can be added using the Alternate Name fact. You can choose whether or not to show them in the name index in the LH sidebar, and in the RootsMagic Explorer view (accessed via the looking glass icon). The RM Explorer view is also where you perform searches; I've just checked, and searching for a surname which I have entered as an alternative brings it up in the results just the same as if it was a normal surname.

    I have the full version of RM, not the free basic one, but according to the list at https://www.
    rootsmagic.com/RootsMagic/Features.aspx you should have the same capability. What the paid version adds is NameFind and a Search Everywhere function, which would allow you to perform the same search a bit faster (and with Search Everywhere, extra searches as well).

    Arthur

  5. #5
    Starting to feel at home
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    44

    Default

    Many thanks Arthur, maybe I need to invest in the full version! Having scanned a number of threads about which software to use I can see you are a serious user of RM - and I guess there is no point in my asking if you are happy with it! Thanks again.

  6. #6
    Famous for offering help & advice
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,729

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lennythelemur View Post
    Many thanks Arthur, maybe I need to invest in the full version! Having scanned a number of threads about which software to use I can see you are a serious user of RM - and I guess there is no point in my asking if you are happy with it! Thanks again.
    LOL! I'm probably just a bit of a geek, but I do like to keep an eye on what's going on. I also tend to rise to the bait when people seem to assume there's only one program worth considering because they've fallen for one of its features, and not taken time to discover that other programs might do some things better.

    Arthur

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: