Comments on: What's the appropriate way to write down names with De in them, when putting them on an online family tree? http://www.howtomakefamilytrees.com/whats-the-appropriate-way-to-write-down-names-with-de-in-them-when-putting-them-on-an-online-family-tree.html A rewarding hobby that connects you with your past. Sun, 20 May 2012 05:11:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ted Pack http://www.howtomakefamilytrees.com/whats-the-appropriate-way-to-write-down-names-with-de-in-them-when-putting-them-on-an-online-family-tree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1531 Ted Pack Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:38:00 +0000 http://www.howtomakefamilytrees.com/whats-the-appropriate-way-to-write-down-names-with-de-in-them-when-putting-them-on-an-online-family-tree.html#comment-1531 If there is an "alternate name" field - there is in Roots Magic, the program I use - flip a coin to decide which way to go, do it consistently and fill in the alternate name for everyone. That is, William de Craunacre is probably recorded as William /de Craunacre William /deCraunacre William /De Craunacre William /DeCraunacre William de /Craunacre where "/" marks the start of the surname; in that last example, his middle name would be "de". William /de Craunacre looks best to me, with the surname "de Craunacre", but your tastes may vary. It is more important that you HAVE a consistent standard than which one you use. Thus if you decide to use "de Surname", anyone coming across your data will have no problem, once they see what your standard is, finding John de Cruz, Ted de Pack, Paul de Montain, etc. etc. Don't forget to put plain "Craunacre" in the alternate name. That way, when you upload your data to different places, people using the site search engine will be able to find it, since the surname engines look at the alternate names too. (And, finding people to collaborate with is one of the main reasons we upload our data.) We have the same problem with people named "Saint ------", and half the time I look for a "Mc----" in Ancestry's census images I find them with a space after the "Mc". If there is an "alternate name" field - there is in Roots Magic, the program I use - flip a coin to decide which way to go, do it consistently and fill in the alternate name for everyone.

That is, William de Craunacre is probably recorded as
William /de Craunacre
William /deCraunacre
William /De Craunacre
William /DeCraunacre
William de /Craunacre

where "/" marks the start of the surname; in that last example, his middle name would be "de".

William /de Craunacre looks best to me, with the surname "de Craunacre", but your tastes may vary. It is more important that you HAVE a consistent standard than which one you use. Thus if you decide to use "de Surname", anyone coming across your data will have no problem, once they see what your standard is, finding John de Cruz, Ted de Pack, Paul de Montain, etc. etc.

Don’t forget to put plain "Craunacre" in the alternate name. That way, when you upload your data to different places, people using the site search engine will be able to find it, since the surname engines look at the alternate names too. (And, finding people to collaborate with is one of the main reasons we upload our data.)

We have the same problem with people named "Saint ——", and half the time I look for a "Mc—-" in Ancestry’s census images I find them with a space after the "Mc".

]]> By: Bodhisattva_2009 http://www.howtomakefamilytrees.com/whats-the-appropriate-way-to-write-down-names-with-de-in-them-when-putting-them-on-an-online-family-tree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1532 Bodhisattva_2009 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:38:00 +0000 http://www.howtomakefamilytrees.com/whats-the-appropriate-way-to-write-down-names-with-de-in-them-when-putting-them-on-an-online-family-tree.html#comment-1532 You put De in the surname part. Leaving it out could make it a whole new name. You put De in the surname part. Leaving it out could make it a whole new name.

]]> By: GrayPict http://www.howtomakefamilytrees.com/whats-the-appropriate-way-to-write-down-names-with-de-in-them-when-putting-them-on-an-online-family-tree.html/comment-page-1#comment-1533 GrayPict Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:38:00 +0000 http://www.howtomakefamilytrees.com/whats-the-appropriate-way-to-write-down-names-with-de-in-them-when-putting-them-on-an-online-family-tree.html#comment-1533 The appropriate and correct way to enter a name with "de" would be to include it just as you typed it in your question as it is part of the persons correct names. IF you choose to use an alternative (as some genealogical programs have) then you would not include the "de" The reason is that there may be another William Crauacre from the same era. The appropriate and correct way to enter a name with "de" would be to include it just as you typed it in your question as it is part of the persons correct names. IF you choose to use an alternative (as some genealogical programs have) then you would not include the "de"
The reason is that there may be another William Crauacre from the same era.

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