Soundex Calculator

Soundex Calculator
Soundex Calculator:

First applied to the 1880 census, Soundex is a phonetic index, not a strictly alphabetical one. Its key feature is that it codes surnames (last names) based on the way a name sounds rather than on how it is spelled. For example, surnames that sound the same but are spelled differently, like Smith and Smyth, have the same code and are indexed together. The intent was to help researchers find a surname quickly even though it may have received different spellings. If a name like Cook, though, is spelled Koch or Faust is Phaust, a search for a different set of Soundex codes and cards based on the variation of the surname's first letter is necessary.

The following six Soundex steps use as an example the 1880 census records of Levi Cook of Pennsylvania. These steps are coding the surname; finding the Soundex microfilm publication and roll reproducing cards with the code range; identifying the Soundex card; using the Soundex data to find the schedule on microfilm; locating the ED, sheet, and line numbers on the schedule; and copying or recording the data.

These steps also apply to the 1900, 1910, and 1920 Soundexes and the 1910 variation known as Miracode. The major limitation of the 1880 Soundex is that it uses Family Cards and Other Members of Family--Continued Cards only for those families with a child or children aged 10 or under. The 1880 Individual Cards, moreover, pertain only to children within this age range, not to adults. Soundexes for all censuses, except the 1910 Miracode, also include Institution Cards.

Step 1: Code Surname

To use Soundex, researchers must first code the surname of the person or family in which they are interested. Every Soundex code consists of a letter and three numbers, such as B-536, representing names such as Bender. The letter is always the first letter of the surname, whether it is a vowel or a consonant.

Disregard the remaining vowels (A, E, I, O, and U) as well as W, Y, and H. Assign numbers to the next three consonants of the surname according to the coding guide included in table 1, but note the exceptions discussed later. Disregard any remaining consonants. If there are not three consonants following the initial letter, use zeroes to complete the three-digit code. A name yielding no code number, such as Lee, would thus be L-000. A name with only one code number, such as Cook, would be C-200. Further discussion will use this name and code as examples.

Most surnames can be coded using the guide. The next discussions explain exceptions.

TABLE 1: SOUNDEX CODING GUIDE

After retaining the first letter of the surname and disregarding the next letters if they are A, E, I, O, U, W, Y, and H, then:

     The number               Represents the letters
          1                    B, P, F, V
          2                    C, S, K, G, J, Q, X, Z
          3                    D, T
          4                    L
          5                    M, N
          6                    R

Prefixes

If the surname has a prefix, such as D', De, dela, Di, du, Le, van, or Von, code it both with and without the prefix because it might be listed under either code. The surname vanDevanter, for example, could be V-531 or D-153. Mc and Mac are not considered to be prefixes and should be coded like other surnames.

Double Letters

If the surname has any double letters, they should be treated as one letter. Thus, in the surname Lloyd, the second l should be crossed out. In the surname Gutierrez, the second r should be disregarded.

Side-by-Side Letters

A surname may have different side-by-side letters that receive the same number on the Soundex coding guide. For example, the c, k, and s in Jackson all receive a number 2 code. These letters with the same code should be treated as only one letter. In the name Jackson, the k and s should be disregarded. This rule also applies to the first letter of a surname, even though it is not coded. For example, Pf in Pfister would receive a number 1 code for both the P and f. Thus in this name the letter f should be crossed out, and the code is P-236.

American Indian and Asian Names

A phonetically spelled American Indian or Asian name was sometimes coded as if it were one continuous name. If a distinguishable surname was given, the name may have been coded in the normal manner. For example, Dances with Wolves might have been coded as Dances (D-522) or as Wolves (W-412), or the name Shinka-Wa-Sa may have been coded as Shinka (S-520) or Sa (S-000).

If Soundex cards do not yield expected results, researchers should consider other surname spellings or variations on coding names.

Female Religious Figures

Nuns or other female religious figures with names such as Sister Veronica may have been members of households or heads of households or institutions where a child or children age 10 or under resided. Because many of these religious figures do not use a surname, the Soundexes for the post-1880 censuses frequently use the code S-236, for Sister, whether or not a surname exists. So far as can be determined, though, the Soundex for the 1880 census does not use the code S-236 for this purpose.

Because of the limitations of the 1880 Soundex, the number of cards mentioning a nun or comparable person is likely to be very small. If this person was the head of a household or institution with children, indexers may have coded the head's surname. If no surname existed, the indexers may have used the Not Reported (NR) surname option discussed later. In either case, if the household or institution headed by a female religious figure included a child under 10, the researcher also can code the child's surname and seek an Individual Card. No Individual Card, though, applies to a nun or any other person 10 years or older.

Single-Term Names

In 1880 many individuals, especially in Alaska or areas with many Native Americans, may have used only a single-term name such as Loksi or Hiawatha. Perhaps not until the 1900s did their descendants use a surname. Some researchers, therefore, may need to code a single-term name as though it was a surname. If this rule applies to the head of a family and other family members have different names, Individual Cards will also pertain to those members age 10 or younger.

TABLE 2: EXAMPLES OF SOUNDEX CODING

     Name                Letters Coded       Coding

     Allricht            l, r, c             A-462 
     Eberhard            b, r, r             E-166 
     Engebrethson        n, g, b             E-521 
     Heimbach            m, b, c             H-512 
     Hanselmann          n, s, l             H-524 
     Henzelmann          n, z, l             H-524 
     Hildebrand          l, d, b             H-431 
     Kavanagh            v, n, g             K-152 
     Lind, Van           n, d                L-530 
     Lukaschowsky        k, s, s             L-222 
     McDonnell           c, d, n             M-235 
     McGee               c                   M-200 
     O'Brien             b, r, n             O-165 
     Opnian              p, n, n             O-155 
     Oppenheimer         p, n, m             O-155 
     Riedemanas          d, m, n             R-355 
     Zita                t                   Z-300 
     Zitzmeinn           t, z, m             Z-325

Step 2: Find Soundex Roll

After coding surnames, the indexers recorded them, along with other data, on small cards that are reproduced on 2,367 microfilm rolls listed in this catalog, which alphabetically lists the states, District of Columbia, and territories and specifies a separate Soundex microfilm publication for each. After coding a surname, therefore, researchers must know or speculate where a family, person, or institution was located in 1880.

In the roll lists, the Soundex codes are arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the surnames, and then the numbers derived from the coding guide are arranged consecutively. Table 3, Sample List of Soundex Rolls, shows this arrangement for the first few rolls for Pennsylvania. In this table, key features discussed below appear inside brackets.

TABLE 3: SAMPLE LIST OF SOUNDEX ROLLS

Pennsylvania. T769. [State name and microfilm publication] [Microfilm 
rolls/Soundex codes for surnames]   

1. A-000 thru A-351  
2. A-352 thru A-450 (K) [First initials within parentheses]
     .
     .
     .
14. B-600 thru B-620 (J) 
15. B-620 (J) thru B-624 
16. B-625 thru B-630 
17. B-631 thru B-640 (F) 
18. B-640 (G) thru B-650 (Q) 
19. B-650 (R) thru B-652 
20. B-653 thru B-666 
21. C-000 thru C-200 (I) 
22. C-200 (J) thru C-316   [Code range for Cook, Levi]

Researchers should match their Soundex code with a range specified in the catalog. Table 3 references the code C-200, which applies to Cook and similar surnames. Rolls 21 and 22 include cards with this code.

Often a microfilm roll does not have sufficient space for all cards with the same codes, and some cards must appear on the next roll. In the Soundex listings, large capital letters within parentheses indicate a break in the cards. A letter within parentheses at the far right of a roll listing indicates that the last card on the roll is for a person whose first initial was that letter. The letter after the first code of the next roll is the initial of the person listed on the first card.

For example, roll 21 of Pennsylvania's Soundex ends with C-200, with the letter (I) representing the first initial of a given name or middle name. Roll 22 continues with the code C-200, starting with the initial (J). Hence, a search for a Soundex card for Levi Cook should begin with roll 22 of T769.

Sometimes, as with rolls 14 and 15 of T769, cards with a particular code and initial may be so numerous or have been filmed in such a manner that the researcher needs to consult more than one microfilm roll. The same situation can occur if mixed codes exist. This problem is discussed later.

Step 3: Identify the Correct Soundex Card

The Soundex microfilm rolls for the 1880 and later censuses include four different kinds of cards: Family Cards, Other Members of Family--Continued Cards, Individual Cards, and Institution Cards. On the microfilm rolls, divider cards with large handwritten data usually note the beginning of a new Soundex code. Soundex cards then appear.

Below the coded surname at the top left of the card, the surname and then first name of the head of the family ordinarily appear as recorded on the schedule, which did not require a middle name or initial. Surnames on the cards are seldom arranged alphabetically, since Soundex coding largely serves this purpose, but first names ordinarily are arranged alphabetically.

Researchers should find the card or cards with information that best matches their knowledge of the person or family being studied, including such factors as color, age, birthplace, and address. The appendix to this introduction, Abbreviations and Terms Used in Soundex Cards, is applicable to the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 Soundex. It can help researchers determine the relationships of persons to the head of the family and thus facilitate a search for the correct card. This information appears on the Soundex cards, except the Institution Cards, in the column or on the line entitled "Relationship." For example, a "W" following Mary Cook's name means that she was Levi Cook's wife. An "S" designates Ervin Cook and William Cook as Levi Cook's sons.

Researchers can record information from a Family Card and then proceed to research step 4: finding the microfilm roll with the census schedule. The most important information to record is: state or territory; volume, ED, sheet, and line numbers; county, city, and MCD.

Part or all of the jurisdictional data and frequently the sheet number are essential for the fourth research step. For example, key data on Levi Cook's card is Pennsylvania; volume 82, ED 21, sheet 8, line 15; and Somerset County, Shade [Township]. The volume number, sheet number, and line number noted on the Soundex card are pertinent to the fifth step: locating the schedules on the microfilm roll.

Intervening Problems

Many researchers may be able to proceed to step 4 without difficulty, but some persons may encounter problems that warrant discussion here.

Other Soundex Cards

Frequently, if families include more than six members, the Family Card is followed by a related card. The related card in Levi cook's case lists Susanna Cook, Levi Cook's youngest daughter. For very large families, more than one of these cards may appear. Handwritten numbers at the bottom of the cards refer to the first card (e.g., "#2, see #1").

Although the continuation card notes the name of the head of family and name, relationship, age, and birthplace of the other family member, this card excludes other personal information such as color and sex. It also omits most jurisdictional data found on the Family Card such as the county, city, MCD, and ED. The researcher must use this data from the Family Card to proceed to the next step.

Some researchers may need to search for a third kind of Soundex card, an Individual Card. This card contains data only on a child age 10 or under who (1) had a surname different from the head of family, or who (2) was not an immediate member f a family (e.g., stepson or nephew), or who (3) resided in an institution without a family. For the first two purposes, the Individual Card duplicates part of the information on a Family Card, cross-references a census schedule, and thus facilitates a search for schedules. For the third purpose, the Individual Card ordinarily is the only card referencing a particular child. In any case, researchers should record data from the Individual Card onto the facsimile and proceed to step 4.

Some researchers who cannot find a person listed on the first three kinds of Soundex cards may want to consider the fourth kind of card, an Institution Card. Institution Cards appear at the end of the last roll of Soundex microfilm for a state or territory. For example, roll 168 of Pennsylvania's Soundex includes "Y-630 thru Institutions."

The Institution Cards, unlike the three other Soundex cards, are alphabetically arranged, not phonetically coded, by the first name of the institution. The first Institution Card to appear in roll 168 names an institution whose name began with A--Adams County, PA, Poorhouse. The Institution Cards exclude personal data on individuals and, at most, may note only the number of inhabitants.

Institution Cards include jurisdictional data necessary to find the correct census schedules (e.g., state, county, city, and ED). Street and house numbers also often appear on the cards. The cards exclude a printed heading for MCDs, but some indexers inserted this information on the line for city. Also, the cards have no caption for line numbers pertinent to the schedules, but some indexers inserted this information near the line for sheet number.

Knowing or suspecting that an individual lived in an institution, a researcher can easily find the schedule using an Institution Card without looking at other kinds of cards. In a single microfilm publication, moreover, these cards can help historians, economists, and other researchers obtain information about institutions for an entire state or territory.

Not-Reported Data

A few features in the arrangement of Soundex cards also may pose research problems. For example, after the coded surnames and full surnames, most of these cards include alphabetized given names. Occasionally, though, some persons gave the enumerator only a surname, without any given or middle name, or the indexer may have found this information missing or illegible. Under these circumstances, Not Reported (NR) or a blank can appear on a card after a surname. Cards with this NR feature appear first within a code.

On census schedules, after the surname, some enumerators may have recorded only initials for a person or an initial before the middle name. Such cards are arranged alphabetically and may appear after those with the NR-first name. They ordinarily precede cards with full names bearing the same first letter.

The indexers may also have encountered an NR surname, with or without a given name and initials. Cards with an NR surname for the head of family are on the last Soundex roll for a state or territory, usually before the Institution Cards. Roll 34 of California's Soundex (T737) states "Not Reported thru Institutions," but most roll listings in this catalog do not reference this feature.

The NR-surname cards may include enough personal information such as color, sex, age, street, and house number to identify a person. Some cards also list members of the family or household by surname and may include an indexer's remarks about possible relationships. Especially in the latter situation, these cards may help a researcher identify a person and justify a search of the schedule.

Mixed Codes

Another frequent Soundex problem is "mixed codes," which means that codes on the cards may appear in random, nonconsecutive order; e.g., M-200 is followed by M-190, M-205, and then by M-189. In these instances, which divider cards usually note, researchers should disregard the codes and focus on the alphabetized given names and initials or other arrangements discussed earlier. In some instances, mixed codes may require that the researcher consult more than one microfilm roll.

If researchers exhaust all these options and still cannot find a pertinent Soundex card, again, it is advisable to try various spellings of the surname and new codings. Another option is to explore ED descriptions and maps, which are discussed later.

Step 4: Find Microfilmed Schedule

After researchers record pertinent data from an 1880 Soundex card, they should consult the portion of this catalog that pertains to "Tenth Census of the United States, 1880" (T9). The 1,454 rolls reproduce the 1880 schedules that the Soundex indexes.

This catalog alphabetically lists the states, District of Columbia, and territories; references the microfilm rolls at the far left; and then describes their coverage. The arrangement first cites the names of counties, which usually are in alphabetical order. Names of cities often appear separately from counties. Roll 1188, for example, covers part of the city of Philadelphia. Within cities or large urban areas, MCDs such as wards may be numbered and then usually listed in consecutive order.

Within counties, cities, or MCDs, EDs are the next most important data that the catalog notes, often in numerical order. In T9, for example, rolls 1190-1194 pertain to Pennsylvania's Schuylkill County, EDs 1-238. In many instances, the catalog notes that rolls include certain sheets for an ED or other jurisdiction.

Researchers should match the county, city, MCD, ED, and sheet number listed on the Soundex card with the information or range provided in the catalog. The number to the left of this information designates the microfilm roll number that reproduces the pertinent schedule.

Step 5: Locate ED, Sheet, and Line Numbers on Schedule

At the beginning of a microfilm roll, a large handwritten number such as "T9, 1195" ordinarily confirms that the researcher is viewing the 1880 microfilm publication and the correct roll selected from the catalog entries. Next, a volume page indicates the coverage of the schedules. Some microfilm rolls may have additional volume pages throughout the roll.

In some cases, volume pages may record inaccurate information about EDs or other jurisdictions. The researcher may need to carefully scan the roll preceding or following the one that seems correct. After the volume page, the schedules should be arranged in the order stated in the catalog.

The 1880 schedule consists of four sides. A large printed A and C usually appear on the front side; a B and D, on the back. Enumerators usually recorded the names of the city, county, and state and the number or name of the ward or other MCD only on the front of the schedule, not on the back. Handwritten ED numbers are on the upper left side, on the third line, under the line marked "Supervisor's District."

The researcher should next match the sheet number recorded on the Soundex card with the page number on the first line of the upper left side of the schedule. On the card for Levi Cook, for example, the sheet number is 9, which corresponds to that on the census schedule. The handwritten numbers on the schedules ordinarily start at 1 in each ED and continue consecutively on each sheet, A-D. Disregard the stamped numbers usually at the right side of the schedules. These numbers ordinarily start at the beginning of a volume and continue consecutively through all EDs, appearing on every other sheet.

Both sides of the 1880 schedules list lines 1-50 for enumerating persons. Researchers should use the line number shown on the Soundex card to complete the search for the family, individual, or institution covered by the Soundex card. For example, the Soundex card for Levi Cook notes line 15, and Levi Cook's entry appears on line 15 of the census schedule.

Step 6: Copy or Record Data

After researchers find the correct schedule, they can transcribe the data or make reproductions of the schedule on microfilm copier machines. For a small fee, the National Archives also formally certifies its census records.