Genealogy Chat

Put the name on the birth certificate, but include the second surname in the 'known as' section. The same with married women - put them under their maiden name.

When something like this occurs in my tree, I put the name that the individaul was born with first and then add the name they were known by in brackets. I do this for first and last names, so for a person whose birth was registered with one surname and then used another and also used a nickname it would look something like this - James (Jim) Burke (Miller). That way all the options are available for anyone who is looking for them. It makes sense to me anyway!

Hi Peter, Could you double barrel his surnames? Lynda

i to have changed my sons name by deed poll to my new husbands name and was not sure which name to put in my family tree . i opted for our new surname , my line of thinking was everyone my son grows up with will only know him with this name .he wouldnt be known by anybody with his old name .so if anyone was trying to find him and he had his old name on the tree they wouldnt be able too. if that makes sense

My sister took a second husband, and had two children by the first marriage, she had their surnames changed to her new husbands name. Now I have put them on my tree as the name they were born with, have I done the right thing