SOUNDEX CODING GUIDE

Submitted by Deb Rychlak - drychlak@centurytel.net - added November 12, 1999

Return to St. Louis County MNGenWeb Page 

The number                                          Represents the letters

         1                                                       B P F V

         2                                                       C S K G J Q X Z

         3                                                       D T

         4                                                       L

         5                                                       M N

         6                                                       R

Disregard the letters A, E, I, O, U, W, Y, and H.

 

Line 1

 

Line 2

 

 

STEP 1

On line 1, write the surname you are coding, placing one letter in each box.

 

STEP 2

On line 2, write the first letter of the surname in the first box.

 

STEP 3

On line 1, disregarding the first letter, slash through the remaining letters A, E, I, O, U, W, Y, and H.

 

STEP 4

On line 2, write the numbers found on the Soudex Coding Guide for the first three remaining unslashed letters.  Add zeros to any empty boxes.  Disregard any additional letters.

 

Additional Rules

 

NAMES WITH PREFIXES

If your surname has a prefix – like Van, Von, De, Di or Le – you should code it both with and without the prefix because it might be listed under either code.  The surname vanDevanter, for example, should be coded as both V531 and D153.  (Mc and Mac are not considered prefixes.)

 

NAMES WITH DOUBLE LETTERS

If your surname has any double letters, they should be treated as one letter.  Thus, in the surname Lloyd, the second L should be slashed out; in the surname Gutierrez, the second R should be slashed out.

 

NAMES WITH LETTERS SIDE BY SIDE THAT HAVE THE SAME NUMBER ON THE SOUNDEX CODING GUIDE

Your surname may have different letters that are side by side and have the same number on the Soundex Coding Guide; for example, PF in Pfister (1 is the number for both P and F); CKS in Jackson (2 is the number for C, K, and S).  These letters should be treated as one letter.  Thus, in the name Pfister, F should be slashed out; in the name Jackson, K and S should be slashed out.

 

With your ancestor’s name correctly coded, you are ready to use coded searchable databases and microfilms.