Q: How should I record unstable Family Names?

NB this FAQ is a work in progress

A: By reflecting the available historical records.

This question actually raises a couple of discrete issues with respect to the Project Tiki.

Firstly what name should be used for the Person Page. The birth name version for the individual should always be used as the title of the individuals person page, where this is known, otherwise the earliest stable variant. For a married woman, where the birth name is unknown, please the abbreviation mnu (maiden name unknown) in place of the family name. For specific information on reflecting both a woman's maiden and married names, please see the FAQ on Indexing Married Women. However any variations in either of those names should be handled in line with this FAQ as well.

All variations of the family name, no matter how insignificant, should be fully reflected in the Narrative section, including source citations. Even one minor deviation in the spelling of a name may provide the clue another member of the community has been seeking.

With more significant variations, particularly where there are changes over time or following relocation, there are two additional approaches which can be adopted.

Firstly within the individual's person page, the heading can be used to reflect the significant name variations, for example

!Reeves, Alpha (aka Reaves)

Secondly, a stub page using the alternate name spelling can be created. This is the same approach used for a woman's married name and ensures the alternate name variant is reflected in the Tiki's list of pages. So if the primary individual is Reeves_Alpha_98765, the stub page would be Reaves_Alpha_98765. Please note the random number page suffix should always be same for all pages relating to the same individual. to link the two pages together, please use the following.

!Reaves, Alpha (aka Reeves)
{REDIRECT(page=Reeves_Alpha_98765) /}
Sorry but automatic redirection is currently broken. ((Reeves_Alpha_98765|Please click here to be redirected.))

Where
Page name: Reaves_Alpha_98765
Description: Reaves, Alpha (aka Reeves) (c1809 HAM - aft 1889 SC)