GUIDE TO HOW NAMES ARE INDEXED IN THE COMPUTER

This is a general guide as to how the Registry creates the indexes and how you can best use the computer to search the indexes.

The Registry enters names in the computer as they appear on the original instrument, surname first, given name second, without alternate spellings or corrections except as indicated below:

1. Obvious misspellings and/or obvious differences between the printed name and the signature may be cross indexed.

2. Mt.(Mount), St.(Saint) will be spelled out in full.

3. Up to March 9, 1999 numbers were spelled out in full using "hundred" for 3 and 4 digit numbers but not using "and". Hyphens are not used. Exception: four digit number the last three digits of which are zeros, the word "thousand" is substituted for "hundred".

Example: 1100 Main Street Trust = Eleven Hundred Main Street Trust.

4000 Main Street Trust = Four Thousand Main Street Trust

After March 9, 1999 when a name contains a number, Arabic numeral or Roman numeral, the following indexing rule shall apply:

a) When a word is an Arabic numeral, the numeral will be entered as presented.

b) When a word is a number spelled alphabetically, the name will be entered with the alphabetic spelling of the number as presented.

c) When a word is an obvious Roman numeral, the name will be entered with the Roman numeral as presented.

Example: Name presented: Thirty Five Broadway Realty Trust

Index as: Thirty Five Broadway Realty Trust

Example: Name presented: 35 Broadway Realty Trust

Index as: 35 Broadway Realty Trust

Example: Name presented: XXXV Broadway Realty Trust

Index as: XXXV Broadway Realty Trust

General Rule: A name will be indexed the way it is presented. When searching a grantor or grantee that has a number in its name check for it under the new rule and the old rule to insure that you do not miss an entry.

4. Hyphenated single words will be typed without a hyphen or space. (Example: "Co-operative" will be typed as "Cooperative").

5. Hyphenated names will be typed with a space in place of the hyphen. (Example: "Smith-Jones" will be typed as "Smith Jones").

6. An ampersand will be used for the word "and" and will be typed with a space before and after the ampersand.

7. Terms such as "as Trustee", "Estate of", "Administrator", "Conservator", "by Attorney", do not affect the position of the name. The name will be indexed first, with the title to follow. (Example: A deed with the Grantor clause reading "John Jones as Executor of the Estate of Mary Smith" will be typed "Jones, John (as EX")

"Smith, Mary (by EX")*

*You cannot enter words that are in parentheses when doing a search, nothing will appear.

Just enter the name, if they have a title it will appear on the screen.

8. Initials will be typed both with a space between each initial and without a space between each initial. Periods are not used. (Example: "A.B.C. Corporation" = "ABC Corp." and "A B C Corp."

Exception: If there is a hyphen between initials then the initials will be typed only with a space.

(Example:"A-B-C Corporation" = "A B C Corp."

9. Human surnames such as O'Brien, La France, Del Rio and Van Otto will be entered as one word. (Example: Obrien, Lafrance, Delrio, Vanotto).

10. Name endings such as "Jr." "Sr.", "Third", are considered part of the given name. "Jr." and "Sr." will be typed in their abbreviated form. (Example: "John Jones, Senior" = "Jones, John Sr."

11. Where there is more than one letter for one initial the first letter only is entered. (Example: "John McC. Jones" = "Jones, John M.")

12. Corporations, companies, towns, trusts, clubs, and associations are treated in their entirety as surnames.

13. The words Company, Companies, Corporation, Incorporated, will be abbreviated as Co., Cos., Corp., Inc., when they appear as the last word in a company name.

14. The County of Aroostook or Aroostook County will be indexed as Aroostook County and will not use the word "of".

15. When a company name has repeatedly and consistently been treated in one particular way so as to have acquired an accepted and established written form, an unusual and dissimilar treatment of the name, one which is immediately recognized as differing from the established form, will, generally, be cross indexed so as to include the established usage.

16. The word "The" is not used when it begins a name.

(Example: "The Bank of Boston" = "Bank of Boston".

17. Agencies, divisions, departments of a Town, County, State or the United States will be indexed only by the Town, County, State or the United States of America, not by the agency, division or department. Any reference to the agency, division, department will be in parentheses. (Example: "Town of Falmouth Planning Board" = "Falmouth Town of (Planning).*

Exception: United States Internal Revenue Service will be indexed as "United States Internal Revenue" and Aroostook Commission is indexed as "Cape Cod Commission" not "Aroostook County of (Aroostook Commission)".

*You cannot enter words that are in parentheses when doing a search, nothing will appear.

(Example: Enter "Falmouth Town of (Planning Board)" and no entries will appear. You can only enter "Falmouth Town of" and then look at the screen to determine which entries are Planning Board entries.