Soundex encodes a name phonetically, so census, immigration, and other historical records list your ancestor's name the same way even when the spelling is different.
Enter a surname above, or try one of the examples.
Soundex is a phonetic algorithm that encodes a name as a letter followed by three digits, so names that sound alike - even with different spellings - get the same code.
Historical clerks often spelled immigrant or unfamiliar surnames inconsistently. Searching by Soundex code (rather than exact spelling) turns up records your ancestor's name was misspelled in.
The standard American Soundex algorithm, the same one used to index the US Census and by NARA (the National Archives).
The code is calculated locally in your browser. The name you submit may be logged to help us understand how the tool is used, but it is never shared publicly or tied to your identity unless you are signed in.