Name variations and household-head descriptions can obscure a woman’s life. Reconstruct it from several sources, preserving each name form in context.
The method, step by step
- Start with a record identifying the woman and parents or spouse. Record birth name and other documented names without assuming marital naming customs are universal.
- Search recorded names and the records of children, siblings and witnesses. Order results by date to distinguish successive marriages and namesakes.
- Explore catalogued local property, work, correspondence and association records. An occupation omitted from a record does not prove absence of work.
- Write her own timeline with places, documented actions and uncertainties. Cite records linking names before merging two profiles.
Record in your research log
- Birth name
- attested names
- spouses
- occupation
- own records.
Frequently asked questions
Why retain a birth surname?
It finds records that do not use a married surname. Keep other attested forms with dates and sources; customs differ between places.
Sources & references
- FamilySearch Research Wiki ↗ (Resource review date : )
- FranceArchives ↗ (Resource review date : )
- National Archives and Records Administration ↗ (Resource review date : )