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Collected Name Resources from LoARs (2010-present)

Articles from Juliana de Luna, Lillia de Vaux, and Alys Mackyntoich

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May 2013 - Juliana de Luna Link to LoAR Cover Letter

This month, I'm taking a break from discussing household names to carry on about the amazing resource that the IGI (International Genealogical Index) and related resources has become for those in the know. This database includes a very large number of (mostly) late period and later references to people from different parts of Europe (and even settlers in the New World).

In the ever-changing world of FamilySearch's online access, the IGI search (at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/igi) is no longer being updated. Updated information is in the general FamilySearch database. Luckily, the search on FamilySearch (at https://familysearch.org/search) defaults to historical documents, including the IGI. The URL for the main search is https://familysearch.org/search. Make sure that Records is selected (it's the default). Be sure to limit the date; choosing "any" life event does nicely. We're going to start calling this database FamilySearch Historical Records to reflect the broader database from which our citations are now coming.

Of course, the limitations on batches continue to be in force, and user submitted data is never acceptable. In general batches beginning with C, J, K, M (except M17 and M18), or P are acceptable. Batches beginning with I are acceptable only on a case-by-case basis and depend on whether or not the individual microfilm extracted is a period record or not. Batches that are all digits, begin with M17 or M18, D, F, H, L, or T are not acceptable. Batch numbers not listed here will be evaluated on a case by case basis. The question that must be answered to determine whether a batch will be allowed is simple: are these the names of period people recorded in period? Indexes of period names created between 1650 and recent years are often normalized and are not generally acceptable evidence of a particular spelling of a name in period.

We've been finding all kinds of names that I would have sworn we'd never find. Alys Mackyntoich has put together a list of given names that she's found in the IGI in an article called "Something Rich and Strange: 'Undocumentable' Names From The IGI Parish Records" (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/SomethingRichandStrange.html). I encourage you to check it out. Among the ones I was startled to find are Erin (1584 England), Heather (1612 England), and most amusingly, Wendy (this has always been the classic example of a modern name, supposedly coined by J. M. Barrie for Peter Pan; it is, however, a masculine name in 1615 England). We're constantly finding new names there, so we encourage heralds to make use of it to document new names and to share them with all of us.

January 2014 - Juliana de Luna Link to LoAR Cover Letter

From Pelican: Acceptable Batches for FamilySearch Historical Records

A name submission this month relied on a B batch record at FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/igi). This batch had previously not been ruled acceptable as sole documentation for a name element. We are correcting this omission: B batches from the indexed records at FamilySearch are now acceptable as documentation. Otherwise, the information in the September 2012 Cover Letter is still valid:

In general batches beginning with C, J, K, M (except M17 and M18), or P are acceptable. If you use another batch, please address why you believe it to be a period spelling of the name. For example, I batches are taken from indices created at various points in the past. Thus, some names in this batch are normalized, and earlier indexes may reflect out of date scholarship. When citing an IGI record be sure to include the batch number.

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