Spelling

Don’t Get Stuck on the Spelling:

Why Name Variations Matter in Genealogy

Have you ever heard someone say, “That’s not how my ancestor spelled their name”? It’s a common belief—but one that can sometimes create roadblocks in genealogy research.

Unfortunately, some researchers get stuck on a single spelling and overlook valuable records in the process. A recent post by MyHeritage, [Why Should You Consider Alternative Spellings When Searching Records?], highlights just how important it is to keep an open mind. Not only can alternate spellings help break through brick walls, but the article also offers practical tips for expanding your search strategies.

My Own Experience with Name Variations

When I first started researching, name spelling wasn’t something I focused on too much. But it was important to my grandmother. She was insistent that her mother’s name was spelled Hutchison—not Hutchinson.

However, as I dug into the records, I found both versions—often in official documents. In fact, Hutchinson appeared more frequently than my grandmother’s preferred spelling.

While many of the surnames on my five-generation pedigree chart have relatively stable spellings, that changes as I research further back.

The Challenge of Dutch Surnames

Several of my ancestral lines trace back to the Low Dutch settlers, and with those come a host of name variants. Two key surnames in my seventh generation are Van Arsdale and Nafus.

A March 19 post in the Dutch Cousins in Kentucky Facebook group reminded me that names were often recorded phonetically—how the clerk heard them. A 2018 post in the same group quoted Finding Our Wooden Shoes, Vol. II by Jim Cozine, explaining why the spelling of Dutch names can vary so much.

Some examples of interchangeable letters in medieval Dutch include:

• c and k
• j and y
• f and v

Other changes:

• s became z (and vice versa)
• ij or y became i
• k became c

Van Arsdale Variants

These spelling shifts resulted in a wide range of surname variations. Here’s a partial list of known spellings for the Van Arsdale family, shared in the Facebook post:

VanArsdale, Van Arsdalen, Vanosdel, Vanorden, Van Ordon, Vanorsdale, Vann Ausdell, VanArsdall, VanArder, Vanarsdall, Van Norsdell, Van Norsdall, Van Aersdaelen, Van Nosdall, Fenosdal, Fenorsdall, Fanosdol, Van Ausdall, Vananglin, Van Ansdale, Van Orsdel, Van Osdol

These include numerous phonetic and regional adaptations across generations.

Nafus and the Many Faces of Nevius

When it comes to my Nafus family, the spelling possibilities are even more numerous. According to the 1900 genealogy book, Joannes Nevius… and His Descendants, there are 203 documented variations of the Nevius surname—Nafus among them.

That list has been an invaluable tool as I search for ancestors across time, language, and shifting borders.

Final Thoughts

I’m grateful for fellow researchers who have shared these compiled lists of surname variants. Keeping an open mind—and a flexible search strategy—has helped me find records I might have otherwise missed.

So, next time you run into a roadblock in your research, ask yourself: Is there another way to spell that name?