Hi RussellRussell wrote:Hi
Can I add to David's comments about wildcards.
I always look for Mc with M*c* I have been caught out several times by the transcription separating the Mac from the rest of the surname.
Russell
Very good point
Not often a matter of importance in the Scottish statutory BMD records, i.e. civil registration, but very often of critical importance in the OPR and other records, especially where the GSU/Mormons have been involved.
The GSU/Mormon transcription rules are that records should be transcribed exactly as they appear.
In the Scottish context this can have the critical effect that, if there appears to be a space between the "M[a]c" and the rest of the name, then the record is transcribed and indexed exactly like that.
In other words, let's imagine that the surname is McHOUGHMAGANDY !
If it appears to be the case in the OPR or other records that the name appears to be written with a space between the "M[a]c" and the "HOUGHMAGANDY", - i.e as M[a]c HOUGHMAGANDY, then it is quite possible that the record in question will be indexed under HOUGHMAGANDY rather than M[a]cHOUGHMAGANDY .......
In the OPR and other records it is quite commonly the case to find that there is a distinct space between the "M[a]c" and the rest of the name .... (that's also the case in the later civil registration records, but unusual in such records for the name to be indexed under the surname without the M[a]c in front....) and GSU/Mormon procedures will index the record on that basis !
Sometimes, when searching in IGI or BVRI, a search on a name starting with M[a]c will produce hits for the name without the M[a]c, but sometimes hits will only be found when searching on the basis of the name without the
M[a]c .......... in other words, don't restrict your search to M[a]cHOUGHMAGANDY, - but try also HOUGHMAGANDY
David
