Soundex Calculator
Encode surnames phonetically to find spelling variations in census and immigration records.
Free Tool
Soundex Encoder
Generate the phonetic Soundex code for a surname to find spelling variations
Use this code to search census records. Names with the same Soundex code (like Smith, Smyth, and Smythe) are often indexed together.
How Soundex Works
Soundex is a phonetic algorithm for indexing names by sound, as pronounced in English. The goal is for homophones to be encoded to the same representation so that they can be matched despite minor differences in spelling.
The code consists of the first letter of the name followed by three digits. Consonants are mapped to digits (e.g., B, F, P, V = 1), whilst vowels and 'H', 'W', and 'Y' are ignored (unless they are the first letter).