SOUNDEX Code Generator

What is this code used for?

The Soundex code was developed to help negate the effects of all the spelling variations that can occur for similar sounding names (Meyer, Meier, Mire, and Smith, Smithe, Smythe, etc.).  This way, indexers can index records based on a Soundex code (how a surname sounds) and *not* by how it is spelled.

The Soundex system is not infallible - the surnames Gough and Goff sound the same (Goff), but a different code is formed for these two names.  European names aren't always handled very well - the Americanized phonetical spelling of the surname Yavornitzky, for instance, is often spelled Jawornicki in European records (though the pronunciation is similar) and the two similar sounding names form different soundex codes.  

But, for the most part, the soundex is a cool tool that researchers have used to index ship's passenger lists, census records, vital records and more.