I am looking for advise on using parenthesis on maiden names.
RootsMagic instructions state to enter Given and Surnames only when adding a Person (no comments on using or not using parenthesis I can find). Creating a married women this way separates them from their husband in the Names Index which to me makes them harder to find and harder to keep family lines straight in my mind.
Most of the readings I have done outside RootsMagic advise to use parenthesis on maiden names but when doing so in the RootsMagic order i.e. Given (maiden surname) (married surname), the new person is separated from Family lines in the Names Index as it is with the instructed way.
But…if you enter the new name as Given, (married surname) (maiden surname), the married name appears next to the husband or similar family name in the Names Index.
I can not see any reason why I can’t enter a new women’s name as I outlined but would appreciate anyone’s thoughts or reasons where is might create problems with reports etc.
Thank you
Standard genealogical convention dictates women be entered with their maiden name, so unless the lady’s birth certificate has parens in the name, don’t do it. If you have to have the married name, you can enter an alt name for the married name, this way the lady will show under either name in the index.
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You can also search for a woman by her married name under Search, Person Search.