Ancestry tree - name changes

[LizzieL]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I did a search and couldn't find anything.
 I have two people (and their subsequent families) who definitely changed surname as records exist and a third forwhom there is more circumstantial evidence. How can I show these people on my Ancestry tree with both surnames, so that the "Common Ancestor " algorithm will find them.? I have put "xxxx or yyyy" in surname box but fear that will only match with people who also use the same sequence of names and won't even pick up "yyyy or xxxx" variants. Ther seems to be a box somewhere for alternative parents I have seen on other peoples trees, Is there a box for alternative surname?

[markheal]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I did a search and couldn't find anything.
 I have two people (and their subsequent families) who definitely changed surname as records exist and a third forwhom there is more circumstantial evidence. How can I show these people on my Ancestry tree with both surnames, so that the "Common Ancestor " algorithm will find them.? I have put "xxxx or yyyy" in surname box but fear that will only match with people who also use the same sequence of names and won't even pick up "yyyy or xxxx" variants. Ther seems to be a box somewhere for alternative parents I have seen on other peoples trees, Is there a box for alternative surname?

A parallel query is for tips on showing both families of an adopted person.  Nowadays adoption has lost some of the former stigma and people can be proud of their attachment to both families.  See popularity of ITV "Long Lost Family"

[Pheno]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I did a search and couldn't find anything.
 I have two people (and their subsequent families) who definitely changed surname as records exist and a third forwhom there is more circumstantial evidence. How can I show these people on my Ancestry tree with both surnames, so that the "Common Ancestor " algorithm will find them.? I have put "xxxx or yyyy" in surname box but fear that will only match with people who also use the same sequence of names and won't even pick up "yyyy or xxxx" variants. Ther seems to be a box somewhere for alternative parents I have seen on other peoples trees, Is there a box for alternative surname?

Have you asked Ancestry?  Presumably they would be in the best position to know how their algorithms work and the optimal way of ensuring all your info is picked up?

Pheno

[sandiep]

Hi lizzie
Don't know if this will help but if you go to edit it has a edit relationship  and you can add alternative and adopted etc  sandie

[LizzieL]

Hi lizzie
Don't know if this will help but if you go to edit it has a edit relationship  and you can add alternative and adopted etc  sandie

Thanks I looked at that, but it would only give me the ability to add an additional parent. In this case I want to ad an additional surname for these individuals. In one case two brothers (and maybe some of their other siblings) added a new surname and treated their original surname as another forename. Their descendants only used the new surname. In the other case the head of family used his grandfather's original surname and his grandfather's stepfather's surname interchangeably. No logic to it. His children also swopped between the two names.

[LizzieL]

Have you asked Ancestry?  Presumably they would be in the best position to know how their algorithms work and the optimal way of ensuring all your info is picked up?

Pheno

I've sent a message, but they usually take so long to reply, if they ever do, I thought I'd ask here in the mean time.

[LizzieL]

I spoke to soon too soon, reply from Ancestry
Answer, go to add fact and put it into the 'Also known as' box. Just tried it for one of them and now my own tree doesn't even come up when I search for her, but I do get an unrelated Sarah with a different surname again who married the brother of my Sarah's husband in same place two years later. So I think Ancestry's suggestion has been a resounding failure just on a simple search, so no chance of the two names being treated as interchangeable on Thrulines/ Common Ancestors

[andrewalston]

You can add a "Name" record, but it looks like only the "Preferred" name (there's a tick box) will show in searches.

One of the many reasons I still use software offline.

[LizzieL]

You can add a "Name" record, but it looks like only the "Preferred" name (there's a tick box) will show in searches.

One of the many reasons I still use software offline.

My detailled tree is and always has been on offline software

However without a searchable tree on Ancestry I could not get the Common Ancestors / Thrulines suggestions for connections with my DNA  matches.
I have experimented with various methods for showing two surnames.  Using the suggestion from Ancestry (using birth name, and the name she used later as alternative), my own tree doesn't even come up on a search!