on surnamse with various spellings you should use original spelling?

Question

If so, shouldn't we share that information with other genealogist and especially with new members?.

Answer 1

The earliest LNAB is preferable ie birth or baptism. If not available , the best you can find. Some believe you can use the spelling of the whole family, but do put the variations in ‘other last names’ in case someone is searching with them.

Answer 2

I tend to use the spelling that is used most often, such as LNAB, marriage, birth of children, death, grave.  If there isn’t one that stands out most, then I default to the birth spelling. But I do also mention alternate spellings in case other researchers are looking under a different spelling.

On my husband’s side, he is related to the Tirrells, Terrills, Tirrills, Tyrrells.  His branch used Tyrrell for the last several generations and my husband’s middle name is Tyrrell.

Answer 3

If the person has a grave marker that I can "see," I use the spelling on that marker as their most current last name, figuring that if they wrote it in stone, that's more likely how their family spelled it. (Although there's always the chance that a grave marker was erected many years after their death and that's how the 6th generation spelled it!)

I always add the alternative spellings as  'other last names.' I've been working on my MIZER line, and believe me there are so many ways to spell it: MEISSER, MISER, MYZER, MISOR, etc. Even up into the early 1900s, brothers and sisters of the same family would end up spelling it differently on grave markers and death certificates. And let's not even talk about cousins!