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2.0 Authority Control

2.1

Creating and Revising Name Authority Records

2.2

Creating and Revising Subject Authority Records

2.3

Creating and Revising Series Authority Records

2.4

Authority Record Maintenance

2.5

Name Authority Practices for LDS-related Entities

2.6

NACO Training

2.5 Name Authority Practices for LDS-related Entities

2.5.1 Married Women Not Primarily Known As Authors

I. Objective

This policy gives guidance for establishing the names of married women not primarily known as authors. It was formulated to address the problem of establishing the names of married women from early Latter Day Saint history who are often known to their descendants by their birth names. However, it can be applied to any married woman not primarily known as an author.

II. Basic Principles

  • The authorized forms of names are chosen on the basis of the preferred name for the person (RDA 9.2.2). For persons not primarily known as authors (i.e., nearly all the names in the digital library), evidence of this form is gathered from reference sources. (RDA 9.2.2.2). A published reference source is preferred, but in the absence of this, familysearch.org and ancestry.com are also acceptable reference sources.
  • In the case of married women, the assumption is that her (final) married name is the most commonly known form, so that name will be used in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

Based on these two principles, if an explicit form is found using the last married name (e.g., in a reference source, a census, a diary, etc.), that form will be used as the basis for the authorized form. If no such form is found, the name will be constructed as outlined below.

III. Specific Procedure

  1. Try to find information about the woman in a published source such as LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, or Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah. Use the form found in such a reference source if it exists. If not found there, but a form using the last married name has been found in another source (such as a diary or census), use that form. (Note: extensive research is not required or encouraged beyond the published sources, but if you already happen to know about a form in these other sources, use it.)
  2. In the absence of such evidence, look up the person in ancestry.com or familysearch.org. You can also search here even if you already found something in step 1, if you need dates.
  3. Assume the last married name is the preferred name unless other evidence is found (e.g., the form found in LDS Biographical Encyclopedia or another published source, or a census, etc.).
  4. In the absence of other evidence, establish the name as follows:
    [Married surname], [Birth name in direct order as found in ancestry.com or familysearch.org], [dates if available]
  5. Give a reference (400) based on the exact form of her birth name found.
  6. Do not give references from intervening married names (i.e., if the woman was married more than once), unless there is strong reason to believe that library users might try to find her using this form.

    IV. Examples

    Elizabeth Crosby Brown

    2.5.4 Elizabeth Brown.png

    Elizabeth Brown is not found in a standard reference source. Ancestry.com gives her form (birth name) as follows: Elizabeth Crosby. It also informs us that she was married to John Brown. We also learn her dates are 1822-1906. Her name would be formed:

    100 1 Brown, Elizabeth Crosby, ǂd 1822-1906

    with a reference from

    400 1 Crosby, Elizabeth, ǂd 1822-1906 [note that this is taken from the exact form found in ancestry.com]

    Inger Julia Johnson Hatton

    Images/2.5.4 Inger Hatton.png

    Inger Hatton is not found in a standard reference source. Ancestry.com gives her form (birth name) as follows: Inger Julia Johnson. It also informs us that she was married to Hyrum Edward Hatton and that her dates were 1875-1959. Her name is formed:

    100 1 Hatton, Inger Julia Johnson, ǂd 1875-1959

    with a reference from

    400 1 Johnson, Inger Julia, ǂd 1875-1959 [note that this is taken from the exact form found in ancestry.com]

    Ruby Birch

    Images/2.5.4 Ruby Birch.png

    Ruby Birch is not found in a standard reference source. FamilySearch gives her form (birth name) as follows: Ruby Wilhelmina Brydson. It also informs us that she was married to Ralph Birch. In addition, ancestry.com gives the form “Ruby Birch” in various censuses. In this case, there is evidence (the censuses) that she was known as “Ruby Birch.” Therefore, because we have evidence for the form of her name with her married surname, we won’t piece together the name as we did in the previous two examples. Her authority record will be formed:

    100 1 Birch, Ruby, ǂd 1882-1966 [note that this form is taken from the form found in the census]

    with a reference from

    400 1 Brydson, Ruby Wilhelmina, ǂd 1882-1966 [note that this is taken from the exact form found in FamilySearch]

    V. Notes in Authority Records

    Evidence used to construct the authority record should be given in 670 fields. Here are some examples of notes based on sources that might typically be used for names in the digital library:

    670 ancestry.com, February 2, 2025 ǂb (Zella K. Johnson; Lozella Kirby; born April 26, 1897 in Huntington, Utah; died September 4, 1954 in Vernal, Utah; married Rolla Virgil Johnson on April 8, 1914)

    670 LDS biographical encyclopedia, 1901: ǂb page 469 (Godfrey, Fannie A., married James Godfrey Dec. 23, 1880; born Dec. 9, 1856 at Powick Worcestershire, England; daughter of James Jones and Ann Brooks; dressmaker; emigrated to America in 1879; [still alive at time of publication])

    670 FamilySearch, January 26, 2025 ǂb (Harriet Elizabeth Laney; born 4 October 1883 in Lee’s Ferry, Coconino, Arizona, United States; died 9 August 1947 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States; married to Arthur Hardin Slaughter)

    2.5.2 LDS Wards and Stakes

    I. Objective

    This policy gives guidance for establishing the names of wards and stakes within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    II. Basic Principles

    1. The preferred name of LDS Church Unit is the name by which it is commonly identified (RDA 11.2.2.3). This should be determined from resources associated with the body. The official LDS Church website (www.churchofjesuschrist.org) should be consulted if accessible. A list of stakes, with their founding dates, may be found at http://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_stakes_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#/United_States. If historical information of a unit is needed, consult a current LDS Almanac. Or, if current Church calling allows you access to the official Church directory of units on www.lds.org, please use that.
    2. Since wards and stakes are subordinate to the Church and their names always contain a term (“ward”, “stake”, “paroisse”, “pieu”) that by definition (in the context of the LDS Church) implies that they are a part of another body, the authorized access point for the Church will be the first element in the authorized access point for the ward or stake (RDA 11.2.2.13-14).
    3. For wards, a variant access point should always be recorded through the stake name (RDA 11.2.3.7).
    4. As local churches, ward names should always be qualified by the place in which they are located unless the complete place name is part of the ward or stake name (RDA 11.13.1.3).

    III. Specific Procedure

    1. Use the form: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ǂ b [name of ward or stake]
    2. Do not interpose the name of the stake in headings for wards. When choosing the preferred name, use the official form of the name (the one found in Church directories or at www.churchofjesuschrist.org) when available, regardless of what appears on the book in hand. It is important, however, to use the name by which the ward or stake was known at the time the work was issued. (In cases of uncertainty, consult older directories.)
    3. Use numerals rather than spelled out numbers, except in cases where the official name consists solely of an ordinal number or where the official form in directories prescribes otherwise. (Note: the official form of numbered church units at www.churchofjesuschrist.org uses numerals.)
    4. Record a variant access point from the spelled out form.
      Note: many ward names have been established with the number spelled out. Do not revise these.
    5. Qualify all ward names (but not stakes) by place, unless the complete name of place is included in ward name. Do not revise already established ward names that do not have this qualifier.
    6. For ward names, include a variant access point which interposes the name of the stake between the name of the Church and the name of the ward (Note this means that the stake name must also be established.)
      If the name of the stake changes over time, but the name of the ward does not, add variant access points giving the ward name formed subordinately to the other (earlier/later) stake names, as needed.
    7. Include variant access points for any other variants found.
    8. Apply the same procedures to branches and districts.
    9. Include other RDA elements as appropriate.
    2.5.2 corporate body attributes.png

    IV. RDA Examples

    Mesa 40th Ward (Mesa, Ariz.)
    2.5.5 Mesa 40th Ward.png

    Center Ward (Salt Lake City, Utah)
    2.5.5 Center Ward.png

    Pariosse Lille (Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France)
    2.5.5 Pariosse Lille.png

    Ganado Branch (Ganado, Ariz.)
    2.5.5 Ganado Branch.png

    Spain Barcelona Mission
    2.5.5 Spain Barcelona Mission.png

    Numbered Wards in Salt Lake City

    There is an exceptional practice for numbered wards in Salt Lake City, following an already established pattern.

    2.5.5 SLC 29th Ward.png

    More information about the Salt Lake City wards and branches can be found here: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Salt_Lake_City,_Utah_LDS_Church_Wards_and_Branches

    2.5.1 Married Women Not Primarily Known As Authors
    2.5.2 LDS Wards and Stakes