Records
Spelling when doing searches
See generally the spelling portion of JewishGen's Grodno Gubernia 1912 Voters List Database for details.
From Lucas Jalowski:
A note on the spelling of the surname changes according to the years. For example: when I search on Jewish Gen old files I look for Yalovski, as before 1917 Jalowka belonged to the Russian Empire and the Belarus administration (Yalavka for the town), as the original files on that period are written in Cyrillic. In Cyrillic there is no J and W, and JewishGen itself suggests to change those letters when doing a search; for example in the 1897 census. After 1917 with the independence of Poland, Polish would be the language of the new administration. So for example as my grandfather emigrated after that year the correct Polish spelling of his surname is Jalowski, as he already was a Polish citizen. In Polish you are not supposed to end a surname with Y. In the case of Levin, as another example, in Polish will be Lewin.
