15 December 2013

Is That Different Name Really Just a Different Language?

Before you assume your ancestor had two "different" first names, make certain that one name is not simply a translation for another. I have an ancestor whose name in low-German was Trientje, which can be translated to Katherine. This does not mean her name was Trientje Katherine, but it does mean that the 5 year old Trientje in the 1860 census is probably the 15 year old Katherine in the 1870 census.


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