This is part of a series of related posts discussing how names can be both challenging and illuminating in genealogical research. Names are everything in Genealogy: they identify us as individuals, they help us build our family groups–they are the foundation stone for our research. It is the first search item we employ when we are looking for more information on any individual or family. But is a name just a label? Is it just a one-dimensional handle for a person or family? Absolutely not.

Through the course of my work in researching my Irish ancestors, I have had to learn how to get the most out of a name during the research process. With Irish names here are a few of the things I have learned:
- Changes in spelling or form are common and can happen for several reasons.
- Repetition patterns can help to identify or confirm potential family links.
- Every family is different, and does things their own way. Never take a convention as a rule. Ever.
Continue reading “What’s in a Name? lessons from my own journeys in irish research”