6 GOLD COAST FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY So Many Versions of a Name! People frequently changed names or used aliases in the past. Before the 20th century, names were not fixed. Spelling was not standardised, so clerks wrote names phonetically, producing multiple versions of the same surname. A single individual might appear under several spellings across different records without ever formally changing their name. In many cultures, people adopted aliases for practical reasons. Immigrants often modified names to fit a new language, while others translated surnames into the local equivalent. Patronymic systems, used in places like Scotland, Scandinavia, Wales, Russia and parts of Ireland, meant paternal names passed to every generation but rather than simplifying searches, looking for example, John Smith across three hundred years can take time to establish which one is family and is he from the right timeline. In rural Europe, individuals frequently used farm names, clan names, or occupational names, switching between them depending on context. Women’s names changed routinely at marriage, and widows who remarried might appear under multiple surnames. Soldiers, sailors, and labourers sometimes used aliases to avoid debts, desertion charges or simply to start fresh. In some regions, officials assigned new surnames to families for taxation or administrative purposes. Due to this fluidity, genealogists must track nicknames, translations, phonetic spelling and follow an ancestor’s trail across different records to make a combination of events, connect. For help with producing your family tree, you may like to join the Gold Coast Family History Society. For a modest yearly fee, you will have access to a comprehensive library, many worldwide subscription websites, and fellow researchers prepared to help you get started or break down any brick walls you may encounter. For further information visit http://www.goldcoastfhs. org.au or attend our rooms at the Bicentennial Building, 833 Nerang-Southport Road, Nerang. Get ready to turn up the glitter and unleash your inner disco star! Disco! Disco! is a high-energy celebration of everything you love about the ’70s, packed with infectious beats, chart-topping hits, dazzling costumes and jawdropping acrobatics. Hosted by Jerome and La La, this high-energy production brings the vibrant world of the ’70s to life with fabulous music, dance, fun audience interaction and plenty of feelgood moments. Slip on your dancing shoes and get ready to groove, sing along and be swept away by a dazzling celebration that will have you dancing in your seat as the disco fever takes over! Tickets are free and will be available from 9am on Monday 21 September from HOTA Box Office in person, by phoning 07 5588 4000 or online at hota.com.au The Mayor’s Seniors Concert is presented by City of Gold Coast. Mayor's Seniors Concert: Disco! Disco! Tuesday 13 October 2026 | 09:30 AM Queensland Seniors Month is celebrated from 1 to 31 October each year. During Seniors Month we celebrate the valuable contributions that seniors make to our city and we encourage community connections and participation. Significant days include the United Nations International Day of Older Persons on 1st October and National Grandparents Day on last Sunday in October. During this month-long celebration we encourage everyone to connect through free or low-cost activities offered by local groups and organisations across the city. Throughout Seniors Month, various community groups and organisations host inclusive events and activities to promote positive attitudes towards older people and enhance community connection. To find an event, visit – www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au and whatsongoldcoast.au
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