Editing Genealogy (section)

===Family names===
[[File:Lineage scroll of Mary Fane.jpg|thumb|Lineage of a family, {{Circa|1809}}]]

Family names are simultaneously one of the most important pieces of genealogical information, and a source of significant confusion for researchers.<ref>G. J. A. Guth, "Surname Spellings and Computerised Record Linkage", ''Historical Methods Newsletter'', vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 10–19, 1976.</ref>

In many cultures, the name of a person refers to the family to which they belong. This is called the ''family name'', ''surname'', or ''last name''. [[Patronymic]]s are names that identify an individual based on the father's name. For example, Marga Olafsdottir is Marga, daughter of Olaf, and Olaf Thorsson is Olaf, son of Thor. Many cultures used patronymics before surnames were adopted or came into use. The Dutch in New York, for example, used the patronymic system of names until 1687 when the advent of English rule mandated surname usage.<ref>{{cite web | author=Lorine McGinnis Schulze | title=Dutch Patronymics of the 1600s | publisher=Olive Tree Genealogy | url=http://olivetreegenealogy.com/nn/pat.shtml | access-date=2008-01-29 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501113910/http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/nn/pat.shtml | archive-date=2008-05-01 | url-status=live }}</ref> In Iceland, patronymics are used by a majority of the population.<ref>Surnames made their way into the language in the 19th and 20th century, but are not widely used. In order to protect the patronymics system, in Iceland it is forbidden by law to introduce a new surname.{{cite web | title=Lög um Mannanöfn | url=http://www.althingi.is/lagasofn/nuna/1996045.html | language=is | access-date=2008-01-29 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126040640/http://www.althingi.is/lagasofn/nuna/1996045.html | archive-date=2009-01-26 | url-status=live }}</ref> In Denmark and Norway patronymics and farm names were generally in use through the 19th century and beyond, though surnames began to come into fashion toward the end of the 19th century in some parts of the country. Not until 1856 in Denmark<ref>An earlier law was in effect in 1828, but was largely ignored in the rural areas.</ref> and 1923 in Norway<ref>{{cite web | title=Lov av 9. februar 1923 nr. 2 om personnavn (Norwegian Name Law of 1923) | url=http://www.geocities.com/dagtho/act19230209-002.html | language=no | access-date=2008-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610181013/http://www.geocities.com/dagtho/act19230209-002.html|archive-date=2007-06-10}}</ref> were there laws requiring surnames.

The transmission of names across generations, marriages and other relationships, and immigration may cause difficulty in genealogical research. For instance, women in many cultures have routinely used their spouse's surnames. When a woman remarried, she may have changed her name and the names of her children; only her name; or changed no names. Her birth name ([[maiden name]]) may be reflected in her children's middle names; her own middle name; or dropped entirely.<ref>E. A. Wrigley, ''English population history from family reconstitution, 1580–1837'' (1997); Catherine Quantin et al., "Which are the best identifiers for record linkage?", ''Informatics for Health and Social Care'' 2004, Vol. 29, No. 3–4, Pages 221–227</ref> Children may sometimes assume stepparent, foster parent, or adoptive parent names. Because official records may reflect many kinds of surname change, without explaining the underlying reason for the change, the correct identification of a person recorded identified with more than one name is challenging.  Immigrants to America often Americanized their names.<ref>Marc Picard, "Genealogical Evidence and the Americanization of European Family Names", ''Names: American Name Society'' 2009 57(1): 30–51</ref>

Surname data may be found in trade directories, census returns, birth, death, and marriage records.