I have found that family names (first as well as last), initials, & ages were all very fluid in all manner of census records, immigration records. etc. It seems that interpretation, transliteration, preference & whim mattered more than consistency. Some of those changes are subtle while others are more dramatic. For example my paternal great grandmother immigrated as Scheme Sternberg but appears as Sadie Steinberg in census records & Bat Sheva Alla in other records, etc. My maternal great grandfather immigrated as Moses Eisenberg and appears as Moritz Ajsenberg, Morris Eisenberg, etc. in other family records. My other maternal great grandfather immigrated as Banet Gherbel and appears as Benny Geebel, Benjamin Gabel, Ben Gerbel, etc. in various records.


Marshall Lerner
West Chester, PA