Presenter: Karoly Vandor
Format: Download MP4 video file of Slides with synchronized audio

You may have encountered several unique last names during your research: these usually help us locate the very people we are looking for. However, there are many of those common ones: Weisz, Grosz, Schwartz and the like. Double it with common first names as Sara, Hanna, Josef, Moses and you end up with names you will have tons of in the same town. This presentation will show you interesting cases about common name combinations and the problems they may create and mislead you but will also give you insights about how to try to avoid such misinterpretations and what sources and tools you have to consult to find the right persons. In addition, I will show you cases where one vital event was registered a multiple times, sometimes with innocent errors or when they were created intentionally in order to avoid being found.