Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How does the GPR find maiden names?

Whenever possible, the GPR adds a married woman's birth name to her record.

On some grave monuments this information is already given when the woman's name is follow by the word nee and then the father's surname. However, this is not often the case and so how does the GPR discover the woman's maiden name?

The GPR does this by using the other relationships mentioned on the grave monument that have different surnames:

  1. If a woman mentioned as the first name on the monument has a father also mentioned but with a different surname.
  2. If a woman mentioned as the first name on the monument has a brother also mentioned but with a different surname.
  3. If a man mentioned as the first name on the monument has a daughter also mentioned but with a different surname.
  4. If a man mentioned as the first name on the monument has a wife also mentioned and also a father in law.
  5. If a man mentioned as the first name on the monument has a sister also mentioned but with a different surname.

By using the above mentioned inter-dependences, the GPR has been able to add thousands of maiden names to its database.

Whenever a maiden name is displayed either on a grave detail page or one of the many lists available on the GPR website, it is shown as a link to all the entries for that paricular surname. For family history researchers this feature is extremely useful in helping to find extended family members.

You can find out how to search for maiden names by looking at the FAQ How can I search for a particular maiden name?.

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Gravestone Photographic Resource (GPR)

An international directory of grave, tomb, war and other death memorials.

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