How to Search a Database for a Surname
Surnames came into use when groups of people began to gather in the same locations. They were necessary to tell those with the same first name from one another, and were based on relationship, physical characteristics, location and occupation. The names our ancestors were known by may differ from the name we have today for many reasons. Knowing these possible differences will help when you are learning how to search a database for a surname.
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Instructions
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Searching for a Surname
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Compile a list of all the surnames you want to search for. Also write down all the variations in spelling for each name that you can think of.
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Consider alternate surnames. Many immigrants to America changed their surnames to make them easier to spell and pronounce, or to escape religious or ethnic persecution. Others may have changed their names completely to get a fresh start in a new country.
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Add all nicknames and initials and their variations as well. Include a list of reversed names, that is, use the given name as the surname, and the surname as the given name in case they were mistakenly swapped in the records.
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Choose an online genealogy database to search. Your choice will depend upon your own lineage and may range from the Social Security Death Index, to military records to naturalization records housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
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Enter each surname one at a time into the search option of the database you are searching. If nothing is returned with the first name, continue through the variations. Search for one individual at a time, but be alert and check the results carefully. You may not find the name you are looking for, but you may find additional information that will help.
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Use the wildcard search option if your initial attempts have no results, and it is available in the database you are searching. This is often found under advanced search options and may help locate variant surnames, given names and locations.
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Combine location, age, sex or other known information in the search field, and leave out the surname if all else fails. With luck, you may get a hit.
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