Soundex Systems How to Use Soundex for United States Census Records Experts disagree on the authoritative soundex system. To be sure that you are finding all information available, you may want to use a variety of soundex codes. The Soundex system is a method of indexing names by a process of elimination of some letters and substitution of numbers for other letters based on a code. The first letter of a name is never coded or eliminated.
Experts disagree on the authoritative soundex system.
To be sure that you are finding all information available, you may want to use a variety of soundex codes. These were developed from a combination of sources and our genealogists swear by them. The first letter of any given surname, firm or subject caption determines the main alphabetic section to which the name belongs. Retain this letter. S-640 A key letter or its equivalent immediately following an initial letter of the same value should be disregarded in coding.