What to do if ancestor does not have a last name and he is also ancestor of another tree with different last name?

Question

My ancestor Mavji Velani's father who was born in 1674 does not have a last name. He is also ancestor of another family tree which have a different last name. How can I add his data keeping last name field blank?

Thanks in adance for your help.

Regards

Viral Velani

Answer 1

Hello!  Welcome to our world wide family WikiTree!  Thank you for joining us.

You can not have a blank Last Name At Birth because the WikiTree ID is created using the LNAB.  If http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Velani-24 is the ancestor with no last name at birth, I would leave it Velani-24 and put a statement in his biography section that he had no last name at birth, but later generations usd Velani.

The other option is to change the LNAB to Unknown, but I think the first choice is better.

Are you indicating that there is a duplicate profile on the WikiTree with the wrong last name?  If so, you should post a message on the bulletin board on that profile asking about sources for the incorrect surname and including you information and sources For the correct surname.  After the surname is decided, if they are really two profiles for the same man, they must be merged.  Remember, only one leaf on the WikiTree per person.  Duplicates must be merged.

Answer 2

Hi Viral

There are many profiles like that on WikiTree. You just use "Unknown" in the Last Name Field.

Answer 3

Viral, I am curious to know what background you are. Are you Indian? I am working with Jack Day on the Indonesia project at the moment, and we have had to deal with many Indonesians who only have one name. Jack has established conventions for this, so it would be good if you spoke to him. Respects.