Advice on surname variations please.

[oldhippy]

Hambling and Hamblin.

Why would the fathers name be Hambling yet his sons & daughters surnames are on document as Hamblin. I have this a few times with the Hambling family tree. Is it a spelling mistake? One such father’s children some emigrated to America with the changed surname to Hamblin and their children carried on with the same surname, now it looks like I have two different family trees. What does a Genealogist do?

[KGarrad]

Spelling is an art form, not a science!

On most documents the names are written by somebody else - registrar, vicar, priest, etc.
They tended to write what they heard.

[majm]

Early 1800s ... I have COLLINGS as surname, then when his sons married, they were COLLINS  .... where did that G go? ... dunno, but it did not re-appear on my tree..  It got dropped off.

JM

[oldhippy]

Spelling is an art form, not a science!

On most documents the names are written by somebody else - registrar, vicar, priest, etc.
They tended to write what they heard.

Are you saying because the spelling is different the people would still keep their original name? This is not the case as I have photos of headstones which have the different surname. 

[KGarrad]

Don't get hung up on spellings

In the days of semi-illiteracy, many people didn't know how to spell their names.
I have seen documents where there are variations of the same surname within the document

It's the sound of the surname that was important - not the spelling.

[Gadget]

Just to confirm what the others have said. Variations in the spelling of surnames, is very often found.  I have at least 5 surnames in my tree which have a  range of spellings in the records: Stokes is one!


Gadget

[oldhippy]

But that doesn't answer why did the actual name change for it to be on the gravestone. I can understand spelling mistakes on documents but not for them to actually be carved in stone. The same with marriage certificates.   

[Girl Guide]

You have to bear in mind that spelling variations will be perpetuated through the generations.  People quite often wrote what they heard and if the person from whom they were hearing the name was illiterate, then no check would be possible.

Family history is full of name variations most of which are probably due to mishearing the name or to family members who could not read or write.

You just have to accept it and go with it.

[KGarrad]

But that doesn't answer why did the actual name change for it to be on the gravestone. I can understand spelling mistakes on documents but not for them to actually be carved in stone. The same with marriage certificates.

But which variant is the "real" name?
Who decides what the "correct" spelling is?

Take my own name - Garrad.
Many RC'ers call me Garrard!
I get post all the time addressed to Garrod, Garrett, Garrard, Goddard, even Gadd!

I will repeat my earlier assertion:
Spelling is an art-form; not a science