Names weren't changed at Ellis Island, but in courts, legislatures and elsewhere both formally and officially -- and on the fly. As genealogists, we need to know why names were changed, and how those changes might be recorded, if we want to have a chance at finding out what's in a name.
Comments (133)
Interesting details, well researched, great stories!
There is still so much to learn about genealogical resources! Even after 40 years of genealogical research, Judy's lecture open-end my eyes to several resources I did not know about! Thank you!
Full of excellent points!
Judy explained name changes in court records in a way that was very helpful to me. Thank you.
Fantastic information and wonderful suggestions on finding name change documentation. I especially liked the suggestion of tracking the timeline of major events and what name was used at that time.
I thought this might be one of those boring and tedious topics that I, as the family history nerd, should know something about. Oh how wrong I was! Judy Russell was interesting, vibrant, and entertaining in her presentation. I am so very glad I tuned in.
Wonderful examples. Really interesting stories behind the name changes.
Judy's knowledge of the topic was amazing and it is obvious she also very enthusiastic about the ways and reasons people use to change their names. I was totally engrossed for the entire session. Thank you, Judy, for a fascinating session!