I wouldn't rely on the census for correct spelling. If the person being interviewed was illiterate they may not have known how to spell their name. Then it was up to the census taker to sound it out, sometimes from a heavy accent! Even the records in the Azores have different spellings for some names in different eras. I have most often seen it spelled Bettencourt here in California. (My ancestors are from Sao Jorge and there is Bettencourt in the family.)
Where did the Bettencourt you are looking for settle in the US? East or West coast or somewhere in between? I would pretty much bet they were from the Azores. Mary On Fri, Nov 17, 2017 at 9:34 AM <pat_fr...@byu.edu> wrote: > I have 2 questions: > > 1st - I just want to know the correct spelling of Bettencourt - I've found > a 1900 census record that has Bettencort. Are they both correct spellings, > or is Bettencourt the most common spelling? Is Bettencort of varied > spelling or just plain wrong? > > 2nd - I am looking for a Manuel T. Bettencourt (born May 1866) and his > wife Maria Lourenca de Silva Fagundes (born January 1865). I do not know > where they were born, the census record just has Portugal. They immigrated > in 1886. 2 of their daughters (Marie and Ana) married 2 of my grandfather's > uncles (Antone and Francisco or Frank). So there is no DNA connection on my > end. I am very interest to know if they were from the Azores. I personally > knew Marie, Ana, and another sister Alvina. Plus I am good friends with > Alvina's grandson, and he told me at our class reunion last summer that he > would like to research his genealogy. > > If any one has any information could you please pass it along. > > Thanks so much!! > Pat Frade > > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to azores+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/azores.
