The spelling of family names varies over the years and also from place to place. Those that have seen the most changes have been selected in the study below. Some of these have been affected by the translation from German to English. In other cases, there has been change or corruption through use or deliberate action. There are some for which the editor cannot account.

In our indices the choice of spelling is arbitrary, i.e. the common present day usage is given simply to help the reader find the family names. For instance, the name Shafer will lead to Shaefer, Shaffer, Schaeffer, etc. Then again, the names ending in "el" commonly become "le", but not always. This list is intended only to be suggestive and informative, not conclusive. And also it should be noted, some branches of familiy names changed while others did not.

PRESENT USE Allshouse Amend Baker Bierer Brown Burkhart Byers Coffman Cole Cribbs Fisher Frelick Gohn Houser Jewel Kepple Kilgore Klingensmith Lohr Menges Miller Moore Otterman Penrod Rearick Rubert Rupert Russell Shafer Shetler Sisney Smail Smeltzer Smith Snyder Turney Weaver Yount

CAME FROM Alshaus Variation of Ammon. Ament Becker Bier, Buhrer Braun Burckhard, etc. Bayer, Beyer, Bier, Bires Kaufman Kohl Krebs, Krepps, Crebs Fischer Froelick, var. Fraley Unknown Hauser Unknown Keppel, Kaeppel Gilgore Kingenschmidt Lower, Lauer, etc. Unknown Mueller, Moeller, Muhler Variations: More, Moor Odermann Benroth Roerich, Roehrig, etc. Corruption of Rupert Ruprecht Rossel Schaefer, Shaffer, Schaeffer, etc. Schittler Sisley Schmehl, Schmeehl, etc. Schmelzer, Schmelser Schmidt, Schmid, Schmitt Scheider Dorney, Dorny Weber Yund, Yunt, Jundt