Different spelling of surnames

[jaybelnz]

I have MATHEWS/Matthews/Mathues/Masters/Mayhews/and Matgews!  Mostly all census, and/or transcriptions, but the last one I think a typo, I do it all the time myself, as g & h together on keyboard.

I also have McAUGHTRIE, MacAughtrie, McAuchtrie, , McCawtrey, McCoughtree, Coutry, Caughtry, Awtry, McOttree and McAuchtree and a few more variations.

An interesting transcription was a Christian name of Banfree, I thought what a strange name, but on looking at the image the name was Winifred!

[Rosinish]

I add the variants in Notes and add what record it was spelt that way.

Annie, referring back to your earlier post, is there any sort of protocol for the Mc and Mac usages? Does a consonant or vowel predetermine which one is used, for example?

No protocol, the name varies within the same families & in all generations. My 1st (earliest further back) document is Mac & luck would have it that my father was Mac.

I just prefer to use Mac for consistency & ease of finding someone in my tree but it's easy with only 2 variants (of my surname for my family found on records) whereas other Mac/Mc with same surname, I have seen several variations.

Annie

[Billyblue]

Sometimes I make note thus:
Pine/Pyne
That would not work if I were Dawn though. 

        

Dawn M

[pharmaT]

I can't top 104 spellings but I do have a marriage certificate (Scottish) where the same name is spelt 4 different ways on the one document.

[DavidG02]

My FT program allows me to enter - as noted above - extra names using the slash ie Mutrie/Moutray/Moutrie.

As to which one to use? I use the one I see on first coming across the name. ie I have a Patience Bolland in my tree. Hers is the 1st instance of use so that's my standard - even if her father is found as Bollard. I will transpose , but use ,  Bolland/Bollard to offer consistency.

As to why , even us literate readers in the 21st century , allow variations? Its because we just sick and tired of explaining how to spell our name. Primary documents I will correct. Secondary - even when I send a hand written document in and they still get it wrong!! - I give up. I have an electricity bill that has my name spelt wrong.

[pinefamily]

My FT program allows me to enter - as noted above - extra names using the slash ie Mutrie/Moutray/Moutrie.

As to which one to use? I use the one I see on first coming across the name. ie I have a Patience Bolland in my tree. Hers is the 1st instance of use so that's my standard - even if her father is found as Bollard. I will transpose , but use ,  Bolland/Bollard to offer consistency.

As to why , even us literate readers in the 21st century , allow variations? Its because we just sick and tired of explaining how to spell our name. Primary documents I will correct. Secondary - even when I send a hand written document in and they still get it wrong!! - I give up. I have an electricity bill that has my name spelt wrong.

Without going off topic too much, several years ago we were getting quotes for ducted air conditioning. One quote came back with our surname totally wrong; right first names, right address, wrong surname. Needless to say they didn't get the job.

[Treetotal]

It does make searching difficult when the surnames are inconsistent across the census returns though...I have several variants of Carroll and Monaghan.
Carol

[Ayashi]

It's amazing how many different ways you can spell Urwin... There was even one marriage under "Orron"...

Usually when the spelling variations start, I go with whatever spelling occurs most often. If Joe Blogg's father appears more commonly as Blogges, I'll put his surname on the tree as that and note what spelling appears where, like "Joseph Blogs on baptism".

[pinefamily]

We have to remember that especially with parish records, quite often regional accents played a part in spelling, even if the recorder was literate. So if an ancestor moved to a different part of the country, htheir accent could have had a bearing on the spelling of their name. Conversely, ministers/vicars/priests were often sent far and wide to a parish, sometimes with local accents hard to decipher.