Get Over Spelling

First and last names of your ancestor will be spelled differently, sometimes different ways in the same document. There is more to “matching” people than the spelling of their first and last name. Make certain you have valid reason to believe people appearing in different records are the same person.

And remember–the name is usually considered the “same” if the pronunciations are the same. That missing “e” may irritate you, but it doesn’t mean it’s an entirely different person.