Five years ago, in February 2015, I started Thomas MacEntee’s Genealogy Do-Over and it very much helped me transform my processes for how I record my genealogy files. I made many updates to my processes, and one of those, in particular, has been to move towards using standardized place names.
This is interesting to me, because different genealogy software programs, products, websites, may have their own structure. However, I made a conscious decision to use ONE structure, consistently across the places where I work on my family tree. I use the convention used over at FamilySearch.
Here’s a quick video I did to share:
I have found that this approach works very well for me. Having said that, my genealogy files are not all yet converted! I still come across entries that I need to update. But, I update them as I find them. Progress… not perfection, right?
How do you document your place names? Is this something that you give much thought to?
Taneya,
Genealogy Do Over for me was a Go Over. One of the areas that I focused on was Place Names.
My Genealogy Database program has a Mapping Feature and I want to use that feature. But with colonial ancestry, I also want to record the Place Name at the time of the event.
I determined to Double enter those Place Names. Current and Historical Place Names. I mark the Current Places names a Private so that won’t be seen in an Ancestry Member Tree, or any other Online Tree. So, when someone looks at my online tree they will see the Historic Place Names.
Also, my program allows me to use words like Township and County, I enter them as well, spelled out. A lot of my old entries had things like Co., Twp., but not everyone will know that they mean, so I spell them out.
I routinely review my place names for consistency.
Thank you for the question.
Russ
Hi Russ! Thank you for sharing your approach! I definitely agree with you in the method of using the place name at the time of the event. It helps promote further accuracy. Adding both the current and historical place name is additional work, but it sounds like it offers you benefits too and that’s good. Good tip to mark the current one private – you are definitely helping out others who may not key into the difference. Good for spelling out completely too instead of abbreviations. I should be reviewing my place names more consistently – but I update them as I come across them. In some ways, it’s kinda fun actually! ha!
Hi Taneya,
I use Family Tree Maker on the PC to help standardize place names. It uses your format except it abbreviates USA instead of spelling USA out. FTM has a tool to standardize all place names.
You can sync to an Ancestry tree, etc.
Linda
Great Linda and thank you for sharing! It is nice when software has helps for ensuring we are consistent. 🙂
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