GUIDE TO HOW NAMES ARE INDEXED IN THE COMPUTER

 

 

This is a general guide as to how the Registry creates the indexes and how you can best use the computer to search the indexes.

 

The Registry enters names in the computer as they appear on the original instrument, surname first,  given name second, without alternate spellings or corrections except as indicated below:  Our system does not recognize punctuation, so any entry that has (.,-) is treated like one continuous word.

 

1.    Obvious misspellings and/or obvious differences between the printed name and the signature may be cross indexed.

 

2.    When numbers appear in the beginning of a name, they will be indexed as presented.

 

3.    When a word is an Arabic numeral, the numeral will be entered as presented.

 

4.    When a word is a number spelled alphabetically, the name will be entered with the alphabetic spelling of the number as presented.

 

5.    When a word is an obvious Roman numeral, the name will be entered with the Roman numeral as presented.

Example: Name presented:   Thirty Five Broadway Realty Trust
Index as:                        Thirty Five Broadway Realty Trust
Example: Name presented:   35 Broadway Realty Trust
Index as:                        35 Broadway Realty Trust
Example: Name presented:   XXXV Broadway Realty Trust
Index as:                        XXXV Broadway Realty Trust

 

General Rule:  A name will be indexed the way it is presented.  When searching a grantor or grantee that has a number in its name check for it under the new rule and the old rule to insure that you do not miss an entry.

 

6.    Hyphenated single words will be typed with a hyphen or space. (Example: "Co-operative" will be typed as "Co-operative").

 

7.    Hyphenated names will be typed with a hyphen.  (Example:  "Smith-Jones" will be typed as "Smith-Jones") and should be searched as Smith-Jones.

 

8.    An ampersand will be used for the word "and" and will be typed with a space before and after the ampersand.

 

9.    Terms such as "as Trustee", "Estate of", "Administrator", "Conservator", "by Attorney", do not affect the position of the name.  The name will be indexed first, with the title to follow.  (Example: A deed with the Grantor clause reading "John Jones as Executor of the Estate of Mary Smith"  will be typed:
"Jones, John (EXOR)”*
"Smith, Mary (EXOR)”*
A forward slash means the word “by”.
Example “Smith, Mary (Est/Exor)”
*You cannot enter words that are in parentheses when doing a search, or nothing will appear. Just enter the name, if they have a title it will appear on the screen.

10.Initials will be typed both with a space between each initial and without a space between each initial.  Periods are not used.  (Example: "A.B.C. Corporation" = "ABC Corp." and "A B C Corp."
Exception:  If there is a hyphen between initials then the initials will be typed only with a space.
Example:"A-B-C Corporation" = "A B C Corp."

 

11.Human surnames such as O'Brien, La France, Del Rio and Van Otto will be entered as presented.

 

12.Name endings such as "Jr." "Sr.", "Third", are considered part of the given name.  "Jr." and "Sr." will be typed in their abbreviated form.  (Example: "John Jones, Senior" = "Jones, John (Sr) or “Jones, John (III)."

 

1.    Where there is more than one letter for the initial, the name will be entered as presented.  (Example: "John McC. Jones" = "Jones, John McC.")

 

2.    Corporations, companies, towns, trusts, clubs, and associations are treated in their entirety as surnames.

 

3.    The words Inhabitants, National Association and Incorporated, will be abbreviated as Inh, NA, Inc., when they appear as the last word in a company name.

4.    When a company name has repeatedly and consistently been treated in one particular way so as to have acquired an accepted and established written form, an unusual and dissimilar treatment of the name, one which is immediately recognized as differing from the established form, will, generally, be cross indexed so as to include the established usage.

 

5.    The word "The" is not used when it begins a name.
Example:  "The Bank of Boston" = "Bank of Boston".

 

6.    Agencies, divisions, departments of a Town, County, State or the United States will be indexed only by the Town, County, State or the United States of America, with the agency, division or department abbreviation.  Internal Revenue Service would be indexed as United States of America – IRS.