What Ancestors Name to Use on Ancestry?

[@jd65556]

I completely agree and have known about this through trial and error. My one thing to add would be that the birth name should be used as the preferred only after you find a lot of the records/information for the name which was used later in life and not just as birth. This way the algorithm picks up on the name later in life which usually has more of that info.

[@christhebonnetmann6]

How do I do it

[@shib55]

I do usually do their birth name and then if I find another name I just put the other name in quotations after their real one, but I highly doubt that's how you're supposed to do it. I am essentially brand new to genealogy but I really enjoy learning about my family! My paternal grandfather had at least three different names throughout his lifetime so it can be VERY confusing. Even his sisters both had at least one other name that I have seen in census records. Their ethnicity was Italian even though they were born in California so I'm not really sure if it's an Italian thing or if just they liked to have a lot of different names. I have noticed, however, that his sisters seemingly have an Italian name and then an American name. Perhaps they did that on purpose? My grandfather (or their brother) had two Italian names and then one American one on his birth certificate. Crazy stuff, lol. Thanks for the video this helps a lot.

[@GenealogyTV]

Don’t use quotes or any other characters other than letters, it messes with the algorithm.

[@chayton1001]

Most adoptees don't know their given name at birth. In most states, it's illegal to access your birth name/birth certificate. Only 12 states in the USA will allow you to access your birth certificate. Our original birth certificates are changed when we are adopted. Our new birth certificates look EXACTLY like everyone else's. Our adoptive parents are listed as giving birth to us. If you aren't told you're adopted, you'd never know looking at your birth certificate. I used DNA and then searched for a year on Ancestry and ended up finding my entire original family!

[@saraschneider6781]

I then would document their earliest known name, but also be crystal clear that name reflects their adopted status and not a birth name.

[@bekgilbert6562]

I can agree with the struggle. I'm trying to get into Genealogical societies but that requires my birth parents. My dad is the same but maternal rights were transferred via a "partial adoption" from my birth mom to my stepmom when I was 8. I was also born on a military base in a state on the other side of the country but adopted in my residing state one county north of my residence. The DAR has been ruthless with it despite DNA matches with my dad and maternal grandparents.

[@GenealogyTV]

I'm glad you found them. This can be a challenge.

[@kennedyrose6766]

Yes, if u don't know your original birthname, u will certainly find out once u do a DNA test..oh, yes

[@sr2291]

​@@saraschneider6781 My earliest known name is Unnamed and my birth "Last Name".

[@Scdudley725]

Connie, thanks for this information. I now only add additional names and stopped using aka

[@milutii]

Woaaah I had no idea re: AKA... Thank you for sharing that! I have some work to do... 😬😅

[@ppierce001]

I would like to use the + as you suggested to add another name for women in my tree who have had several marriages. I do not see the + when I am in the tree and click on the individual.

[@GenealogyTV]

It is above the fact column we’re it says “add+”.

[@ppierce001]

@@GenealogyTV Thank you!

[@cbarton64]

My family changed their name via deep poll back in the 1960's. What is the best way to log this fact as the "name" fact will only allow first name changes? Thank you 😊

[@GenealogyTV]

On Ancestry, just add another name fact (not the "also known" fact). You can choose when name fact you would like as preferred. This will let the search engine work both names.

[@familylinksyou]

That's a great tip. Thank you! I will definitely do that.

[@katismith]

Connie, I didn't know this about aka. So this brings up a question. Is there a way to pull up by field such as aka and address changing those items?

[@GenealogyTV]

Not really. Just modify them as you come across them.

[@tinkpatience1]

What about a last name that becomes Americanized over time? Should the last name change between generations?

[@scotbotvideos]

I have ancestors with the surname Livingston. Sometimes the same person can have their surname spelt Livingstone and sometimes the registrar wrote Liviston. But on each occasion it's the same person and family / lineage. Then there are ancestors with the surname Ferguson. Sometimes it's spelt Fergusson, and then further back it's either Fergusone or Fergusoun. Then there are McDonalds. Sometimes they're spelt McDonald, sometimes Macdonald, and sometimes just Donald or even Donaldson. And as before, it's the same family / lineage. Something for people to watch out for if searching on ScotlandsPeople.

[@scotbotvideos]

It's not just surnames to watch out. The same principle applies to first names too. For instance, the Scottish version of Grace is Grizal. But it might be spelt Grissel. Elizabeth may be spelt with an 's', not a 'z'. But one some registers, it might be Beth, Bessie, or Bethea. But also Elspeth in Scotland. And anybody coming across Christian, invariably in the past this was a female name. It's not a misspelling of Christina. Also, whereas Gillian is not a female first name, in the past in Scotland it was a man's name.

[@saraschneider6781]

What does this have to do with the video?

[@scotbotvideos]

@@saraschneider6781It's an example of that sometimes people's ancestors have different versions of their names, and therefore you have to account for that when searching and also for when creating your own tree. Capiche?

[@saraschneider6781]

@@scotbotvideos but that has nothing to do with adoption.

[@scotbotvideos]

@@saraschneider6781 I didn't say it did.

[@ashleyaustin8532]

I didn't even realize that "also known as" doesn't register and that there was a "name" option under "+"...There's so many options! LOL. Now I know and will be doing it that way from now on because I'm researching my Swedish/Danish relatives and it's a PAIN! haha. If I can save other people the struggle..I will! LOL

[@ppierce001]

On which page do you find the +? I have looked on my Mother's profile but do not see a +.

[@nygreek743]

I put both first names and the nicknames in the name box because like you said the also known as box is not searchable

[@FraterPhi888]

What if we dont know, because our family keeps our past and birth like a closely guarded secret as if we were stolen at birth.? I was never allowed to ask questions about my backround or anything about my ancestors so i only know the name i grew up with what are my options to find out my history

[@masonm240]

I have made some wooden displays laser engraved with a family tree for my friend, I only did first and last name, the problem was I didn't know if i should use their actual birth first name or the one they went by, I did the one they went by, but of course this is a different circumstance and when doing online trees you should always use birth name in birth order

[@saraschneider6781]

Could you not have asked what she preferred?

[@masonm240]

@@saraschneider6781 no they were dead

[@glenjones6980]

I find that for female relatives UK researchers use the birth name whilst my American relatives often use the name of the husband prefixed by ‘Mrs, eg Mrs Robert Smith. For UK researchers it’s a naming convention that is so different it’s easy to miss or ignore a record, add in the geographical differences of English towns/counties compared to US townships/states and hundreds of records must get missed. I actually use my adoptive name in my tree as my mother was married twice prior to my birth so the surname changes multiple times between her birth and mine (along with my maternal half siblings wanting to forget the period and circumstances of my birth). Of course in the case of an adoptee the name will likely change after adoption, as an example my marriage is in my adopted name whereas the only public record of my birth is in my birth name. In the UK there is no way to link the different names based on bmd records.

[@alisondennis4233]

When I click on add name for a 2nd time and try to change the surname it says 'use maiden name not married name' I am in UK so maybe different? Or maybe I'm just doing it incorrectly?

[@GenealogyTV]

Yes. Use the maiden name which is the name at birth most of the time.

[@WellsyBRNC]

What about adding emoticons in the nam?

[@GenealogyTV]

I don't find it necessary anymore.

[@bekgilbert6562]

I've been using "also known as" this whole time 😶

[@GenealogyTV]

Consider switching to a second name fact. It will help with hints.

[@bekgilbert6562]

@@GenealogyTV I definitely will especially because I have several surnames with various spellings or the spelling was changed when they came to America.

[@GenealogyTV]

You can add several name facts if needed

[@TenBob]

I would not put other info in the name field eg * or ❤ etc. 👏😎🍀💜

[@BarbGressel]

My granddaughter is now my grandson. I can use the alternate name fact in that case, but what gender do I use?

[@jd65556]

it would be name/sex at birth since that is the original and then under alternate name you put in the new name. I don't believe ancestry has an alternate sex category however I am unsure.

[@saraschneider6781]

I just posted my own comment on this video… for genealogical purposes it's always birth and genetic facts. I've heard so many people say well that's canceling them or that's a hate crime… but if a transgender person is still so uncomfortable with themselves after transitioning that they don't want any reference to who they were prior, then they are canceling themselves.

[@GenealogyTV]

For the sake of DNA research, you would want to put the birth gender. If the person is living, their identity is not going to be seen by others searching unless you expressly give permission to view the living people in your tree.

[@saraschneider6781]

@@GenealogyTV this will cause a problem fo future generations though. My female cousin Hayden began transitioning to a male named Jaxon his freshman year in high school. 100 years from now, will the ignorance that that isn't his birth name or gender cause research problems? Beyond the obvious simply having his biographical information wrong. Ancestry should make it easier for transgendered persons to be searched for and notated accurately. Society has changed since Ancestry's early days.

[@BarbGressel]

I need to add that I will always love the soul that is my grandson dearly. I hope that in the future, Ancestry will find a way to handle this in their records. 🙏

[@saraschneider6781]

What about adoptions were the child isn't given a first name, or just "Baby girl"? I also think you should do a video on individuals in your tree that are not cisgender… people need to hear from a professional genealogist that you aren't canceling people or committing a hate crime just because you are putting biological genetic facts in your family tree.