One of the mistakes that new family history researchers may make is to make false assumptions about the
spelling of a surname. "If it's spelled differently than mine, I'm probably not related." You must put names in a historical context.Unlike today, when most names seem to be cut in stone and easily recorded accurately with computer and typewritten records, it's human nature to feel indignant when we get mail with our names mangled. But, before the twentieth century, when so many of our ancestors could not read or write (you didn't have to read to know how to run a farm, or be a blacksmith, or awheelwright, etc.), the spelling of a name was usually only as good as the most recent tax collector, or census taker. This was particularly true of immigrants from non-English speaking countries, such as our Swiss and German progenitors.

To better understand the LAUVER / LAUBER name, you need to go all the way back to our roots in Switzerland in the 16th Century. Before Anabaptists were persecuted and driven out of Switzerland and fled into Germany, the common spelling was LAUBER. BUT, the Swiss-German use of "b" is pronounced as "v". In effect, LAUVER and LAUBER were pronounced the same. No doubt, some Laubers today in America have adapted a hard "b" pronounciation. I also grew up with people often mispronouncing the first syllable of my name to sound something like LISLE-ver (with the isle similar to the silents in island). The "au" Swiss-German dipthong, which can be found in many names and words, is correctly pronounced "AH," thus the change of many LAUBER families to LAWVER to reflect the preferred pronounciation. The spellings tend to adapt to the language of a family's new land, and can sometimes provide a clue to the geographical origins.Those who held on tothe LAUBER spelling could indicate a direct immigration from Switzerland, but it could also reflect linguistically-minded researchers reconnecting German immigrants with their Swiss roots. The LAUVER spelling could indicate a line from Juniata County in Pennsylvania. LABER or LAVER could indicate an origin from Germany. There are, of course, exceptions and you cannot assume anything regarding origin or family connection until you have the evidence in hand. However, a name spelling can be very helpful to point you on a path to investigate. You must also be alert to spelling variations with the same family of one generation. As an example, in my line you can find the following variations:

With immigrant Johann Balthasar, his surname is found in his will to be spelled LAVER. Some tax records show LABER, and there is another tax record in the official published records of the Pennsylvania Archives that even spells his name LOWER, probably the result of poor handwriting of the official recording the record. I have yet to actually come across a documentthat shows his name was ever spelled LAUBER OR LAUVER. The first use of the name LAUVER in our line is found with Michael after he became the LAUVER progenitor in Juniata County. Even Johann Balthasar's nickname is spelled
differently, depending on the record. His full given name, Balthasar, was rarely seen. The nickname was seen in variations of BALTZER, BALTSER, BALSER, BALZER.

GRAYBILL is another name you'll find associated with our family tree. One study I did on this name states that there are more than a dozen recognized ways of spelling this name in the U.S., and more than 200 variations around the world! It varies from GRABIL to KREHBIEHL. The GRAYBILL spelling would point to a possible Juniata County origin.

The bottom line is, you can drive yourself crazy paying too much attention to the spelling of a name, unless that is your specific purpose. While the spelling provides geographical clues, you need good old-fashioned reliable research in records and documents to connect your specific line. At the same time, when you are scanning census, land, and tax records, you must keep an eagle eye out for any varied spellings. You could miss finding a relative because you dismissed the spelling.

My own datafiles do not yet accurately reflect all the preferred spellings of each generation. I tend to go with LAUVER or LAUBER because it makes my pedigree charts easier to follow. If your own family has followed a different spelling, i.e., LAFFER, LAVER, LABER, etc., it doesn't mean that suddenly you have to change the spelling on all generations. Tradition and oral history are valid aspects of a family history. Just as long as your are aware that name spellings have been changed.

Just remember, IT'S ALL RELATIVE! Hope that helps anyone starting out on the trail of research.

Reprinted by permission of Fred J. Lauver (April 12, 2001), whose family history can be found at http://www.timevoyagers.com/