Address to the group:
I am seeking input in how others have chosen to enter data in their
genealogy software programs (Family Tree Maker, etc.). The software is
programmed to assume that children have the same surname as the male
parent, and so automatically give that surname to each child. This of
course is very saving in keystrokes for cultures that follow this practice.
The Portuguese do not.
In Portugese genealogy, the baptism/birth records the child with his/her
first name only (at least in Santa Maria Island records), eg Manoel. If
Manoel dies as an infant or young child, he dies as Manoel. If he lives
until perhaps Confirmation or until he is a young man, he may die as Manoel
José. When he marries he may choose to be known as Manoel José using his
father's surname, his mother's, sometimes a combining of both, and
sometimes an entirely different surname (perhaps coming from an as yet
unidentified source by the genealogist).
In addition, if we choose to compile whole family data, rather than only
ancestral direct lines, we find that our hypothetical now married, Manoel
José de Moura, is often identified with variants of his name in the records
of his children.
And all of the above exists also for females.
It is therefore misleading I believe to accept Family Tree Maker's
automatically given surname. Should not the surname be assigned only when
actually known?
I am wondering how others have treated this myriad of identities for the
same individual when entering names into their family files.
Denis
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