How can I regularize my family's surname?

Question

Some of us use Hvitfeldt, some use Huitfeldt. Older records have Hwitfeldt, Wittfelt, and a couple more. There are quite a few duplicate profiles because of this as different LNAB means no matches and no merges.  Any suggestions?

Answer 1

LNAB is what it says Last Name at Birth. This may change over time. My grandmother's family went from Crowfoot to Crofut to Crofutt. Each gets it's own spelling. What I'm trying to point out is that you shouldn't try to regularize an entire family.

Make ample use of the Other Last Names, adding variant spellings.  Wikitree searches on Other last names also.

Comments

Thanks Anne.  That's exactly what I need: Other Last Names.  I'm new here and didn't know about this.

Answer 2

Bob, it gets harder the further back in years you go. Baly Balie Baily Bailey Bailley Ballie Bayley, Lippit Lippitt Lippincot Lippincott, Woley Wooley Woolley. 

 here is part of a one name study I have done: Vicare, Vickrey, Vickere, Vicaire, Attvickers, atte Vicars, Viccars, Atvicars, Vicary, Vickery, Vickarman, Viccars, Vickers, McVicar, Vikery, La Vacher, Livaccari, La Vache, Vassiere, Verrick, Verrechia, Verick, Vickere, Vicar, Verick, Verecker, Vick, Vitterey, Vittory, Vittori, Vockery

Comments

Thanks, John.  I guess it could be worse.  But a relative has added my own grandfather with a spelling different from the one he used.  Can I just change it to match mine and then merge them?

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Don't bother to change the other one. Just merge the wrong one into the right one.

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merge the highest number into the lowest, ticking the boxes for the info you wish to keep and unticking the incorrect info.