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Archiver > OKGEN > 2000-04 > 0954618571


From: "Rebecca L. York" <>
Subject: [OKGEN ] soundex
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2000 11:49:31 -0800


I just got this from another list - thought it useful...........Becky·

Soundex Coding System

A Soundex is a method to code names based on the way a name sounds rather
than how it is spelled. There are a few variants on this system, but the two
you will most frequently use are discussed below. The first one is the
Russell
system which is used by the U.S. Government for records such as indexes to
the U.S. Census records and passenger arrival manifests. Most people know
this system as just the Soundex System. The other Soundex you will use for
some research in Jewish research is the Daitch-Mokotoff system. This one was
designed to be used with Eastern European names and words ( such as town
names). The U.S. Soundex system uses the initial letter in a surname plus
three numbers; the Daitch-Mokotoff System uses a six digit number. You must
use the Soundex Code to access the federal census index and microfilm.


· U.S. Soundex Coding Guide:

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

Disregard the letters: A-E-I-O-U-W-Y and H.


· INSTRUCTIONS TO USE U.S. SYSTEM:

Step 1: On Line 1- Write the surname that is being coded, place one
letter in each box.
Step 2: On Line 2- Write the first letter of the surname in the first
box.
Step 3: On Line 1- Disregard the first letter, slash through the
remaining letters
A-E-I-O-U-W-Y-H.
Step 4: On Line 2- Write the numbers found in the Coding Guide for the first
three remaining unslashed letters. Add zeros to any empty boxes and
disregard
any additional letters.

· SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Names with Prefixes: If the surname has a prefix like Van, Von, De or
Le,
code it both with and without the prefix because it might be listed under
either name.
Mc and Mac are not considered prefixes.

Names with Double Letters: If the surname has any double letters they
should be treated as one letter.

Names with letters side by side that have the same number: The surname
may have different letters that are side by side and have the same number.
IE: the SK (2) in Moskowitz. The SK should be coded (2) as one letter. Other
exceptions occur, such as Schwartz which is coded S632, the C-H and W are
dropped.

**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*
my personal site: York & Baer
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ouryorks
York: the Url of York ~*~ for all York's
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~allyorks
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience."
^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^ ^i^


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