{"id":4748,"date":"2025-09-02T14:00:33","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T12:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/?post_type=epkb_post_type_1&#038;p=4748"},"modified":"2025-09-01T10:23:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T08:23:29","slug":"alternate-names-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/en\/alternate-names-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Alternate names"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Our ancestors may have had several first and last names. It is not uncommon to have a first or last name at birth that is different from the first or last name used.<br \/>\nHere are some examples of the reasons for this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>voluntary change of name on immigration<\/li>\n<li>change of name on immigration to adapt to the new country<\/li>\n<li>change of spelling because our ancestors relied solely on spoken language, i.e. with an accent, or if the priest was not from the region, there may have been differences in the way the name was written<\/li>\n<li>the desire to change one&#8217;s name in the event of adoption or a change of sex<\/li>\n<li>etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To learn everything you need to know about entering a surname, see the article <a href=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/en\/?p=54951\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enter simple, double-barreled or multiple surnames<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>How do I enter other surnames\/givennames?<\/h3>\n<p>Place the person concerned in the primary person.<br \/>\nClick on the <strong>Data<\/strong> tab <strong>&gt; Personal Data<\/strong>.<br \/>\nClick on the <strong>Alternate names<\/strong> tab in the centre of the entry screen.<br \/>\nClick on the <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8830\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/16-plus.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/> to add another name.<br \/>\nEnter the surname and givenname.<br \/>\nSelect the type of other name. If you can&#8217;t find what you&#8217;re looking for, choose <strong>Other<\/strong> and change the type.<br \/>\nOn Windows, replace <strong>Other<\/strong> with the name you want.<br \/>\nOn a Mac, enter the other name type in the empty field provided.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>(Windows) Alternate names<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2446 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/alternate_name_pc_EN.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1339\" height=\"228\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>(Mac) Alternate names<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2434 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/alternate_names_mac1_EN.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"958\" height=\"178\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When alternate name is entered, the tab is marked with a blue bullet.<\/p>\n<h3>Spelling changes<\/h3>\n<p>In the <strong>Alternate names<\/strong> field, indicate the different spellings of the name you have found and to which type of record. For example: Smith as a married name and Smit as a name at death.<br \/>\nThis will allow you to see the spelling differences for a person. However, it is also useful to indicate in the Surnames index that this spelling is a variant of a main name. For example, Smith is a variant of Smit.<\/p>\n<p>Indicate variant spellings in the names index.<\/p>\n<p>Use the Surnames index to indicate spelling variants.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Open the Surnames index.<\/li>\n<li>Select the main name.<\/li>\n<li>Click on the pencil <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11944\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Edit.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/> to edit the main name.<\/li>\n<li>Click on the\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8830\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/16-plus.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/> in the variants area.<\/li>\n<li>Select the spelling variant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>(Windows) Name variants<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-50968\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/surname_variants_alternate_pc-en.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"991\" height=\"780\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>(Mac) Name variants<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-50974\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/surname_variants_alternate_mac-en-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"989\" height=\"931\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It is possible to have several spelling variants for the same name.<br \/>\nIndicating the variants will allow Heredis to include the spelling variants in the list of existing persons when you add new person. In this way, you can avoid entering a duplicate entry.<\/p>\n<p><em>(Windows) Add a person<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-50977\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/alternate_name_proposition_pc-en.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"795\" height=\"621\" srcset=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/alternate_name_proposition_pc-en.jpg 795w, https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/alternate_name_proposition_pc-en-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/alternate_name_proposition_pc-en-768x600.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 795px) 100vw, 795px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>(Mac) Add a person<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-50980\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/alternate_name_variant_mac-en.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"796\" height=\"988\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Deleting another name<\/h3>\n<p>To delete another name, select it from the list and click the <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11941\" src=\"https:\/\/help.heredis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/16-moins.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/> button.<br \/>\n<strong>Note<\/strong>: in the index of surnames and givennames, you will not be able to delete these other surnames and givennames as long as they are used by a person in your genealogy.<br \/>\nThe alternate names associated with the persons in your genealogy are automatically managed in the various import and export operations in GEDCOM or Heredis format, as well as in mergers.<\/p>\n<h3>Using alternate names<\/h3>\n<p>When you add a person, Heredis also checks alternate names and displays a list of existing persons. Heredis also checks for matching persons, even if it&#8217;s just an alternate name. So you can avoid duplicates.<\/p>\n<p>Starting with Heredis 2025, alternate names can appear in Books and Sheets if you tick the corresponding box.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our ancestors may have had several first and last names. 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