How many John Smiths [insert your ancestor’s name here!] lived in your ancestor’s county? How do you know which William Jones married your great-great-grandmother? When two or more people share the same name, live in the same place, and appear in records during the same time period, how do you prove they’re different people—or the same person using different names?
If you’ve ever asked these questions, and I know you have, you’re facing one of genealogy’s most fundamental challenges: merging and separating identities.
Why This Course Matters
Merging and separating (M/S) identities isn’t a niche problem—it’s everywhere in genealogical research. Whether you’re researching colonial America, immigrant communities, or frontier settlements, you’ll encounter situations where multiple individuals share names, locations, or other identifiers. The sheer volume of articles and webinars devoted to this topic proves how prevalent and vexing it is.
Our multi-week intensive course tackles this challenge head-on, equipping you with systematic strategies and practical techniques to confidently identify, analyze, and resolve even the most complex M/S cases.
The Three Core Scenarios
The course focuses on the three main situations where M/S work is essential:
- Same Name, One Location Multiple individuals with identical names living in the same geographic area. Think of four Henry Dewitts in Holmes County, Ohio in the 1820s, or three Sarah Johnsons in the same Virginia parish.
- Same Name, Multiple Locations One person using the same name who moves between locations, creating the appearance of multiple individuals. Did John migrate from Maryland to Ohio, or are there two Johns?
- Different Names, Multiple Locations The most challenging scenario: one individual using different names (due to immigration, name changes, or other factors) across different places. Johann Schmidt who became John Smith. The woman who went by both her maiden and married names in different contexts.
Building Your Toolkit:
Throughout the course, you’ll develop proficiency in many critical areas, including the following three areas:
1. Identity Dossiers: Building Complete Profiles
An identity dossier is a comprehensive profile of descriptors (also called identifiers) for your research subject. We’ll teach you how to extract and organize:
- Names and variations
- Ages and vital dates
- Occupations and economic status
- Signatures or marks (literacy indicators)
- Geographic locations and migration patterns
- Spouse and children’s names
- Religious affiliations
- FAN and FAM Club members
- Psychographic inferences (lifestyle choices, values demonstrated through records)
You’ll learn how to squeeze every possible descriptor from each record through deep analysis, how to hypothesize missing descriptors based on context, and how to use checklists and mind mapping to ensure nothing is overlooked.
Identity Dossier image courtesy of Jan Joyce, Course Coordinator
2. Methodologies: Applying the Right Techniques
Different M/S scenarios require different approaches. The course covers essential methodologies including:
- Timelines: Creating various types of timelines to visualize events and identify conflicts or confirmations
- Naming Conventions (Onomastics): Understanding naming patterns across generations and cultures
- Mapping: Using geographic analysis to determine proximity, migration patterns, and relationships
- FAN Club Analysis: Leveraging Friends, Associates, and Neighbors to distinguish individuals
- FAM Club Analysis: Using family relationships as the most reliable identifiers
- Macroenvironmental Factors: Considering historical events, migration patterns, and cultural contexts
- Negative Evidence: Identifying what’s absent from the record and using it to strengthen conclusions
- DNA Analysis: Understanding when and how genetic evidence can help resolve identity questions
3. Tools: Technology and Techniques That Work
We’ll introduce you to practical tools that facilitate analysis and correlation:
- Spreadsheets: Designing effective templates for organizing and analyzing complex data
- Offline Methods: Hands-on techniques using index cards, sticky notes, and visual organization
- AI: Leveraging artificial intelligence for organizing, sorting, and correlation
- Mapping Tools: Using modern technology to visualize historical geography
- Timeline Software: Choosing and using tools that fit your workflow
How You’ll Learn: A Multi-Modal Approach
Forget the traditional syllabus. Instead, you’ll receive support materials in various forms:
- Instruction Sessions: Expert presentations covering foundational theories, advanced concepts, and practical how-to approaches
- Case Studies: Real-world examples (like the Common Data Set featuring multiple Henry Dewitts in 1820s Ohio) that highlight effective techniques and common pitfalls
- Hands-On Exercises: Guided practice ensuring you gain practical experience alongside theoretical knowledge, including working with actual records to extract descriptors, sort data, and develop rationales
- Workshops: Dedicated time to apply what you’ve learned to either the common case study or your own research, with instructor guidance available
- Interactive Components: Small group work, discussions, and opportunities to share unique methods you discover
Beyond the Classroom
The course provides fillable PDFs, blank spreadsheet templates, and other tools you can take home and apply immediately to your own cases. You’ll leave with:
- A comprehensive literature review database showing which M/S techniques were used in 105+ published case studies
- Tested organizational templates you can adapt to your specific needs
- Decision frameworks for choosing which methodologies to apply
- A network of fellow researchers facing similar challenges
- Call-to-action steps for working on your cases after the course ends
The Bottom Line
Merging and separating identities is challenging work, but it’s not insurmountable. With systematic approaches, the right tools, and proven methodologies, you can confidently untangle even the most complex identity puzzles. The prevalence of same-named individuals in historical records isn’t going away. Names were reused within families, across communities, and through generations. Immigration created variations. Record-keeping was imperfect. But armed with the strategies and techniques from this course, you’ll be equipped to handle whatever M/S challenges your research presents.
Stop circling the same records hoping for clarity. Stop making assumptions based on incomplete analysis. Stop losing track of your rationale. Join us for this rare opportunity to develop the skills that will serve you throughout your genealogical career. Because every ancestor deserves to be correctly identified—and you deserve the confidence that comes from knowing you’ve done the work right.
Learn more and register here: https://familylocket.com/product/merging-and-separating-identities/
This blog post was edited with the help of artificial intelligence.
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