Putting both names together can help other researchers recognize the family. If you find you want to include queries about more families than can be summarized in the subject line, you may wish to post several queries. Some of the abbreviations may seem unfamiliar at first. The advantage of using standard abbreviations for place names is that it makes searching the surname archives easier and more reliable. As an example, consider searching the archives for Coles families in New York.
Abbreviations also make subject lines shorter, for writers whose software limits subject length.
The computer will then e-mail you the list of abbreviations. The dates should indicate when you are interested in the family in the areas listed in the subject line. The dates could be the earliest birth and latest death dates for known ancestors, or periods for which you have information, or the time for which you want more information. Address changes Because people change e-mail accounts, phone numbers, and move to new addresses from time to time, the contact information in the archived surname queries will grow stale. A well-written query can provide valuable information or clues even if the author can no longer be reached.