Last Name v Birth name

@reg, the question of what to enter where for a lady with more than one name is a valid one and perhaps not made clear enough by Geni. Enter her birth name in 'Birth Name' field and last surname in 'last name' field but enter further names in the 'Also known as' field. This way when people search for the lady in question using any of her last names the profile will be found whereas by just entering her birth name in the 'birth name' field searches will miss her unless they use her birth name.

I believe Geni are working on improving the naming fields to allow for changes in names and for the different conventions used by different countries but it is such a minefield that I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this.... it could be a long time coming.

I hope this is quite clear.

Private User : Dutch users in GENI made the appointment to never use the husbands name in a GENI-profile, but to duplicate the birth'names name in the two different fields. If there are 'stubborn', in some peoples eyes 'old fashioned' users who insist to give a married women the sticker of her husband are free to use the field for AKA = also known as or to make whatever construction they like, with predicates like Lord, lady, Sir, baron, Nobel-price-winner of Vice-president of the local football-store in the field: DISPLAYED NAME or something like that [I myself never ever use this field, so anyone is free to put in what they like in 'my' profiles as long as they do not spoil my genealogical ambitions. Wouldn't know how the English population on Geni is doing this, hope they avoid to much names of non-DNA-searchable information....
groet, -jMVu- from holland, europe.

Yes, Geni is still limited in naming possibilities. It is however more creative and allows for search and march possibilities than other online collaborative genealogical sites, from what I can see out there.

In the USA it is often impossible to find records without her legal surname at death event noted in the last name field. Geni is continually working to improve record search and match so it becomes even more important for those of us building documented family lines to have that field available and in use.

BTW Geni started with TWO last name fields in 2007: maiden name and last name.

At the request of MEN who changed their names (for example, most immigrants to USA from Europe) Geni opened up the field to all genders and re labeled the "maiden name" field to "birth surname."

Erica, do not get to involved in this debate again, you already know where it will end when we come to page 9 of this discussion some time in the future. Been there, done that. Don't want to do this again until Geni has a major change of the name fields.

No worries about that Remi - was trying to help out Reg so he doesn't make me crazy losing my ancestors.:):)

Reg it's easier for English lines I think if they are referenced in Debrett's, Burke's, etc. We use "display name" to construct the proper style. The sources for Colonial America, particularly Town Vital Records, record the name by last husband's surname. So that's what I need to match in order to properly document.

Or you can just look up the husband's last name in the records :) :) :) :-)

Only if you know it:) I have a Hill marrying a Hill and not enjoying tracking either of them. I need all the information possible.

Ofcourse, only if you now it, but if you don't know her husbands last name, you wouldn't know the last name his wife used after she married him either. And then you're no further than before.

Remi - not true in my family research. From surname at event death I can backtrack to find name at event birth.

But there's no point or reason to argue, as Geni's database and viewing preferences accommodate name changes. Advise members to fill in the birth surname (if known), set viewing preferences as you like, and it all works out.

Erica
One problem is that people will want to change a profile to agree with their way of thinking. Then the next person will change it again to suite their view.

Geni is now world-wide but does not reflect this in its organisation.
Why will it not let me use UK English?
Why is it stuck on the US dating system which is only used in the USA?

In genealogy there is some important rules: Do not fabricate facts, and follow the sources.
I really dislike seeing people putting English names on none English persons.

The curators have however discussed this withe Geni and one of the solutions seem to be offering language dependent display names.

Reg, it may not make much difference but look at the bottom of the screen;
on the right there is tweet,facebook and PRO and on the left there is in blue About Terms privacy Blog Wiki World Family Tree Help and [English US] which is the default language. If you click on this there is on offer English UK - select that and fingers crossed it will be a little better although I note that the DNA offer is in $s.

Terry Thank you - it must have been added since I last looked.
Centre = Centre - OK :-)

I've heard tell that American to UK English is "well translated" and if there are phrases (not currency conversion unfortunately) missed, it's easy to correct? Heard this from an Australian collaborator ... :)

Erica
what septic can talk pom?

Erica
Ask your Oz collaborator.

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