Question: If my grandparents changed their last name when they came to the U.S., how do I research them?
Answer: There are a number of ways you may be able to find the answer to this frequently asked question. Ideally, the name change was recorded in court records in the county in which your grandparents lived. It was especially common for individuals with foreign-sounding or hard-to-pronounce surnames to “legalize” name changes in American courts, so that would be the best starting place for your search. If you are not able to visit the courthouse where your ancestors lived, check online for the website of the clerk of that particular court and see what their research policy is. Frequently, local court sites will direct you to the division of that court where “name changes” were filed.
Other sources to consider are naturalization records, in which name changes or “aliases” are often recorded. When a naturalization document can’t be found, try finding that person in alien registration files. Both naturalization (citizenship) and alien registrations are usually cross-indexed so the old and new names should show up. Churches and other religious institutions were other places where these events may have been noted. We found a name change recorded in a church marriage register in one case, and on the civil recording of a marriage for another ancestor. Probate records and property ownership records are other potential sources to consider. It’s also a good idea to study the census records for all known family members because clues may found in the listing of other people living in the household with your ancestors.
Unfortunately, many of our ancestors didn’t have the means to change their name in official records, so it might be necessary to tap into the memories of older relatives or even long-time family friends. Family feuds and the advantage of having an anglicized surname were often reason to change names “off the record” but someone, even a distant cousin, may have the missing information you need. After learning from my husband’s aunt that her family surname was unofficially changed for just a few years, it made it possible for us to find his mother’s “Delayed Birth Registration.” Her original birth record had been recorded under the temporary surname, making our first efforts to find it a waste of time and money.
If you can’t find evidence of a name change in the records you find for your direct ancestor, gather as many records as you can about his or her siblings and cousins. Their records will often lead you back to the common ancestor and the long-lost surname.
