Tips for Searching Indexes

The online indexes available on the Westchester County Archives Web site have been or are being created by copying previously existing index books or by combining information from individual volume indexes and/or individual pieces of paper. Thousands of hours have been devoted by many individuals to transcribing these records. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy of these transcribed indexes, some errors are inevitable. In addition, we have discovered numerous errors in the original index books themselves.

When using these indexes, therefore, it is important to keep in mind that ANY name may be spelled differently than you expect due to a variety of reasons involving the original document or the transcription and data entry. Names have been entered exactly as they appear on the original records. However, in cases where the exact spelling could not be determined, or where the individual’s signature and the clerk’s spelling differed significantly different, a second entry was made.

Users should search for names using various spellings, such as:

• changing the vowels (an “o” instead of an “a”)
• removing a space (Daros instead of Da Ros)
• removing an apostrophe (Dagostino instead of D’Agostino)
• removing a letter (McIntyre instead of MacIntyre)

The Cross-Index to Surnames used at the County Clerk’s office provides suggestions for alternative spellings of familiar names common to Westchester County.

Finally, indexing is a time-consuming process and for some record series not all records have yet been indexed. Be sure to note the time period covered by the index before coming to the conclusion that the Archives does not have the records you are looking for. It is also possible that a record was missed in indexing. If you suspect a record should be at the Archives but is not listed in the index, contact us.