Which name do I used on a Native American profile?

Question

Hi Hi!

I came across this weird scenario that I couldn't find a good yes or no too based on the Native American project style guide. I have a situation where I have a Hopi man who used different names through his life, so I'm not sure how to input him!

His english first name was Philip, and his Hopi name was Polingyamtewa. In 1910 he is recorded in the school census as Philip Polingyamtewa, with his Hopi name as his surname. This wasn't uncommon as his brother Joe Seckakuku took his Hopi name and used it as his last name, and passed it down. He is listed in Indian Census Rolls under this name as well, HOWEVER, he later adopted the surname Zeyouma/Zeyoma. He is again listed as a brother of Joe, but a seperate newspaper article lists a sister called Leila Zeyouma, so there was some sort of family precedent/importance of this name. There are so many combinations that fit different standards I'm not sure which to use.

Polingyamtewa Hopi currently Philip Zeyouma? Philip Polingyamtewa currently Philip Zeyouma? Philip Zeyouma AKA Polingyamtewa?

Would love input from the Native Americans project team on this, as this will apply to his siblings and quite a lot of Hopi individuals.

This isn't bringing up the complex system of clans and naming traditions of the Hopi peoples, I'm still working on those.

Answer 1

I tend to start with their tribal name and use the tribe name as last name at birth for folks that were born with just a tribal name and then later went through business of trying to establish an English name, which inevitably varies over time.  For this individual I would do Polingyamtewa as the first name and Hopi as last name at birth, then I would add Philip as either Preferred Name or Other Nick Name, and use Zeyouma as Current Last Name, and maybe add Polingyamtewa as Other Last Names again.  

This is how I did my third Great Grandmother:  Woman Who Went Into the Cloud (Bear) Davis - WikiTree Profile

Comments

What Kirby says.

If he was born prior to the adoption of surnames by Native Americans, then use his tribal name as his last name at birth.

The rest of what you describe sounds right.

-- Jillaine, project coordinator, WikiTree's Native Americans Project