Not sure what LNAB to use - multiple spellings

Question

I added a profile for Jesse Brandenburg, then discovered there is also one for him call Brandenberg-4.. I need to merge them but unsure which spelling to use.  In researching him I have found numerous spellings on various documents (birth, census, marriage, death, military) and his grave site, including Brandenburgh, Brandenberg, Brandenburg, Brandinburg, Brandenberger.  His descendents mostly use Brandenburg.  What should I put for him in the merge?  Should I change the LNAB after the merge?

Comments

If all else fails, and his father's name is available, I use that.

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I think it's good to add the other spellings in a research notes section.

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I always add them in the Other last names as well as a Note in the biography.

Answer 1

When I find multiple spellings for a person I prefer to use birth and death records because they are contemporary and the information usually comes from close family members. If those two don't agree, I try to use the spelling that appears most often in historic records. Although it's tempting to use the spelling found on a gravestone, I've found several instances where that is incorrect.

Answer 2

The birth cert. should be used for the LNAB, any other  spellings can be added as current last name or other last names used

Comments

I am just not sure the birth/christening record is his. The day and month and area are the same, but I haven't found anything else to determine if that was his.  If it was, his father was named Jacob.  Jesse does have a son named Jacob.

Answer 3

LNAB is a fiction used by WikiTree for data keeping. In Finland the 'official' record was often kept in Swedish but it was likely the languages used by the family was Finnish. A child was given a name, Peter. If a last name was needed, it might be 'his father's son' or it might be the farm where he lived. We do not know.

Comments

I think "LNAB is a fiction" is a little harsh. It serves as a search tool and may fall short in some languages but still has value. That's why it is so important put all known variations in a research section.