| Challenge #2. The second greatest challenge | | | | looking for. It's always best to use the proper city |
| people experience in starting their Mexico family | | | | name if you're searching online or asking for help |
| genealogy research is just not having enough | | | | from family genealogy research web sites. |
| information. This third article for Challenge #2 | | | | Be aware that there can be cities or towns in the |
| goes into detail about problems with Mexican | | | | same state with only one or two letters |
| state names that pop up for people gathering | | | | difference between the two names. I sometimes |
| information to find someone in Mexico and gives | | | | do a double take because I'll see two names that |
| solutions to get your family genealogy research | | | | look exactly alike at first glance. |
| moving forward. | | | | Another event occurred while watching the |
| Let me address some common misunderstandings | | | | program, 48 Hours Mystery. The show opened |
| about the names of Mexican states. Mexico is the | | | | with a scene from a city in Mexico. The caption |
| name of the country. I may hear a "duh" but stay | | | | read, "Ajijic, Mexico." I just happened to be |
| with me for a moment. One of the thirty-one | | | | watching the show with a friend from Guadalajara |
| states is also named Mexico. So how can you | | | | who immediately said, "Hey, that's in Jalisco! |
| know the difference? | | | | There's no Ajijic, Mexico!" Guadalajara is in the |
| Most Mexican documents and addresses will use | | | | state of Jalisco, and my friend knows the town, |
| the form Edo. de Mexico meaning State of | | | | Ajijic. The proper form for the city is Ajijic, |
| Mexico when referring to the state itself. You | | | | Jalisco, Mexico. |
| may also find the official name, Estado de Mexico, | | | | Would any of us feel saying or writing Los |
| and the lesser used state abbreviation, Edomex. If | | | | Angeles, USA seemed appropriate or correct? To |
| you were trying to find someone living in the city | | | | someone unfamiliar with the U.S. states, they |
| of Acambay in the State of Mexico, the proper | | | | may have no idea where Los Angeles is. Worse, |
| form could be any of the following: Acambay, | | | | who can say if the post office would deliver a |
| Estado de Mexico, Acambay, Edo. de Mexico or | | | | letter if it was addressed to just Los Angeles, |
| Acambay, Edomex. | | | | USA. So, when we talk about Mexican small |
| I wish I could tell you this is the final word about | | | | towns, precision with the name and spelling is |
| Mexico and the State of Mexico, but it's not. A | | | | critical to your search and for anyone you have |
| few prominent Mexican publications such as Guia | | | | assisting you with the research. |
| Roji's Mexican atlas and the national Mexico | | | | If you are, or have had, problems because of the |
| telephone books refer to Edo. de Mexico as | | | | name of a Mexican city or state, take heart. Not |
| simply Mexico. I recently had two situations that | | | | even CBS and 48 Hours seem to know how to |
| truly reflect the confusion that exists with the | | | | properly list an address. They may claim creative |
| names of cities and states. | | | | license, but when you are doing your family |
| The first was an inquiry from a young girl. She | | | | genealogy research and trying to locate someone |
| wrote that she was starting her Mexican family | | | | in Mexico, that creativity can slow you down or |
| genealogy and trying to locate a relative in Jilote, | | | | stop your search altogether. Now you know what |
| Veracruz. I explained there is no such city. There | | | | to look for. |
| is a city named Jilotepec in Veracruz and | | | | This is a main reason why locating someone living |
| recommended she check with the person who | | | | in Mexico or doing your Mexican family genealogy |
| told her the city name was Jilote. The girl wrote | | | | may require the services of experts who know |
| back she was aware Jilote is a slang term for | | | | the ins and outs of Mexican cities, states and |
| Jilotepec. | | | | much more. It is virtually impossible to locate a |
| This exchange shows how one small item can | | | | person if you do not have the correct city and |
| stop you from moving your family genealogy | | | | the state where they are living. |
| research forward and finding the person you are | | | | |