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Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Posted: 2 Dec 2014 3:33PM GMT
Classification: Query
Can someone clear this up for me. Here is my question:

1) Your find a married male ancestor and add this person to your tree as Joe Smith and spouse Jane Smith.

2) You do your research and learn that Jane Smith's maiden name is Doe

3) Do you know go back to your tree and change Jane Smith to Jane Doe? Do you leave it as is or should you 'add new fact' as 'alternate name'? If so, do you click 'make preferrred'?

Thanks for your help.
Attachments:

Re: Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Posted: 2 Dec 2014 7:21PM GMT
Classification: Query

In genealogy, If you don't know a married women's maiden name you should leave the surname field "blank".

Just because she marries a Smith, it doesn't make her surname (name at birth) Smith. It only makes her married name Smith. In the example you gave, the surname Smith should have never been added as Jane's surname. It should have been left blank. If you find her maiden name was "Doe" , then you would add that as her surname.

DO NOT add as 'alternate name'!

Re: Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Posted: 4 Dec 2014 4:43PM GMT
Classification: Query
Always use a woman's maiden name. The links to the husbands will take care of her married name.

Re: Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Posted: 5 Dec 2014 3:29AM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks so much. I have a lot of editing to do on my tree now. LOL.

Re: Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Posted: 5 Dec 2014 4:17AM GMT
Classification: Query
Can I ask another question? On the tree, how you you list two first names? EG, real name is Augusta listed on census but goes as and is buried as Goldie? Do you give the person two first names? Augusta Goldie as first name? Thanks.

Re: Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Posted: 5 Dec 2014 4:49PM GMT
Classification: Query
Well I use:

Augusta "Goldie"

in the first name block.

Re: Maiden name as surname or alternate name, still confused

Posted: 6 Dec 2014 3:08AM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks so much. Been so helpful.
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