What name should you look for - what did people call your ancestors?

This seems like a silly question but it is a profound one. Our ancestors often used various names.

Did they use different given names (first names) during their lifetime?

• Language variations: English, Gaelic, Latin
  • Latin: Gulielmus = William; Jacobus = Jacob or James
  • Gaelic: Diarmaid, Darby or Dermot = Jeremiah or Jerome
• Nicknames (Kate = Catherine, Con=Cornelius, Delia = Bridget, Sarah = Cecilia)
• Internet resource: Christian Names in Ireland by Jane Lyons
• Commonly used naming patterns in families may be a clue

Did their surname change – name or spelling of it?

• Common variations
  • keeping or dropping the O’, Mc, Mac, Fitz
  • letter substitutions, like
    • A & E: McAvoy, McEvoy
    • C, K & G: Milligcan, Millikan, Milligan
    • P & W: Phelan, Whelan
  • Watch for all variations, like Hoy, Haughey, Hawkins, Haughin
  • Realize variations affect Soundex code
• Surname distribution can be helpful (look up in Griffith’s Householders Index)
• Origin of Irish surnames can help http://scripts.ireland.com/ancestor/magazine/surname/index.htm

Finding Maiden Names – Places to Look

• Marriage records
• Social Security application
• Death record
• Children's death records
• Obits: person, children, spouse, siblings
• Church records
• Divorce records
• Widow’s war pension
• Local histories
• “Missing Friends”
• Insurance records
• Genealogy of husband’s line

Finding where they came from in Ireland - key to successfully tracing your ancestor

• Look where they settled
• Best bets
  • Obituaries, death records, tombstones
  • Local histories, church records, marriage records, census
• Thoroughly search
  • All records from your ancestors life outside of Ireland
  • Look at all family members and neighbors