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Family History Learning Moment
by Michael W. Dindinger, via email on 3 May 2020
Places - Four basic rules govern the entry of place names:
There may be a couple of things to note. The inclusion of the word ‘county’ in the name is not necessary. Some genealogical database programs include the word ‘county’ and others do not. There is some disagreement over the use of United States vs. USA as well. Some programs will let the user switch globally between the two different terms meaning that you can change all of the entries in your databased at the same time from one to the other. I tend to spell it out completely. Within FamilySearch.org Family Tree you have the capability of standardizing location names (as well as dates). Your example of Sweden versus Sverige is a good example. I use whatever the time period of the record I am searching. The same thing holds true with dates. There is a difference in calendars over time. I always use the date of the time of the record – but note adjustment to the date to current calendar standards for others to understand. We ran into a problem on old records in a couple of our lines because there was no clarification in the dating. We later found out that the dating was using the Napoleon calendar which is entirely different when researching records.
Your other example about locations in the United Kingdom is another good example. Irish do not like being tied to United Kingdom. I use whatever was used at the time of the record and then make a note regarding naming of location as stated previously above. It may sound tedious, but I want anyone who later looks things up on my lines to understand what I am doing. I NEVER use abbreviations. Everyone assumes their own interpretation of abbreviated locations.
Part of the challenge with all of this is the difference between programs. Ancestry likes USA while FamilySearch likes United States. FamilyTree Maker likes abbreviations while RootsMagic has been adjusting their terms used.
Back to Names
Places - This Post
Forward to Dates
Family History Learning Momentby Michael W. Dindinger, via email on 3 May 2020
Places - Four basic rules govern the entry of place names:
1. Always enter the place name as known on the day the event took place in the place name field. Never use “formerly” or “now” in a place name field. Getting It Right: Data Entry Standards for Genealogists © 2010 Judith Schaefer Phelps 4 [ Like I stated previously, there may be a better source on this now]
One very little understood and often misused rule for genealogists is the need to record place names as they were at the time any particular event occurred. The reason for this rule is that any documents created at or near the time of the event will most likely refer to the place as it was called or officially named at the time. Even though this is the rule, there may be a need to search for documents or information using the current place name, so both are important. I tend to note the difference in the naming of a location in my notes and the time period I am in at the time.
2. Always enter place names in place name fields beginning with the smallest jurisdiction and ending with the largest.
3. Enter the place where an event occurred with a least three levels of jurisdiction when possible and follow states and provinces with their corresponding country name.
4. Always spell out the full name of the jurisdiction you are describing, (e.g., city, township, county)
Some software provides a current place name field. If so, enter the current place name in the current place name field. If the history of a place is important, explain it in the research notes field. Document the place name – both the place name at the time of the event and the place name as known today – in the respective source fields.
Spell out the names of states for the benefit of international readers; do not use former or current postal code abbreviations. This is a real problem with people in the United States.If you expand your software’s data entry options (Like in RootsMagic or Legacy) to include a baptismal place field and / or burial place field, then you may want to add another level of jurisdiction for places entered into those fields. Add the name of the church or place of baptism in the baptismal place field as the smallest entity of a location and continue describing the place name with the other jurisdictions of a location description. Enter the name of the cemetery or mausoleum in the burial place field as the smallest entity of a location, and then continue with other jurisdictions in the appropriate order. Document the information in the source field.
There may be a couple of things to note. The inclusion of the word ‘county’ in the name is not necessary. Some genealogical database programs include the word ‘county’ and others do not. There is some disagreement over the use of United States vs. USA as well. Some programs will let the user switch globally between the two different terms meaning that you can change all of the entries in your databased at the same time from one to the other. I tend to spell it out completely. Within FamilySearch.org Family Tree you have the capability of standardizing location names (as well as dates). Your example of Sweden versus Sverige is a good example. I use whatever the time period of the record I am searching. The same thing holds true with dates. There is a difference in calendars over time. I always use the date of the time of the record – but note adjustment to the date to current calendar standards for others to understand. We ran into a problem on old records in a couple of our lines because there was no clarification in the dating. We later found out that the dating was using the Napoleon calendar which is entirely different when researching records.
Your other example about locations in the United Kingdom is another good example. Irish do not like being tied to United Kingdom. I use whatever was used at the time of the record and then make a note regarding naming of location as stated previously above. It may sound tedious, but I want anyone who later looks things up on my lines to understand what I am doing. I NEVER use abbreviations. Everyone assumes their own interpretation of abbreviated locations.
Part of the challenge with all of this is the difference between programs. Ancestry likes USA while FamilySearch likes United States. FamilyTree Maker likes abbreviations while RootsMagic has been adjusting their terms used.
