1. Home
  2. Parenting & Family
  3. Genealogy
Soundex
<Back to Last Page>     <Glossary Index>

 Related Terms
• patronymics
• surname
 
 
Definition: A phonetic coding system used to group together surnames that sound alike, but have variant spellings. Every Soundex code consists of a letter (always the first letter of the surname) and three numbers

Example: SMITH/SMYTH/SMYTHE would all have the same soundex code, S530.

Pronunciation: [sound-eks] • (noun)  

Related Resources:

How to Use Soundex Codes
A simple how to for determining the soundex code for a surname and using it to find possible alternate spellings.

Searching for Surnames
Essential Web searching strategies and techniques for finding surnames and family Web pages on the Internet.


<Back to Last Page>     <Glossary Index>
About.com Special Features

Holiday Central

What to eat, where to go, fun things to do and how to save money on the perfect gifts. More >

Family Tech Center

Stay connected and entertained with reviews on tips on the latest HDTVs, cellphones and more. More >