Researching LIAO

[karen1122]

Hello, I am hoping to get some advice on researching my recently discovered Chinese roots. All I have at the moment is the name of my Great Grandmother LIAO Chang Ku Lai who I believe was born in Martinique in about 1850 (these records are kept in France and I am still looking for someone who speaks French to help me find her birth record). I have her 2 marriage certificates and her death certificate. Her father (who's name had been written differently on two separate documents) LIAO te tsing or LIAO tui ping who may have been born in Shanghai around 1821. I look forward to hearing from anyone who may be able to point me in the right direction. Thank you in advance, Karen

[Doug 周]

karen1122,

Please post your documents. One of the Forum members is a Francophile.

Maternal roots research is harder because of the prior male chauvinistic attitudes. However, with maternal great great grandfather's names, it is definitely attainable.

Regarding the multiple names, look at this Wiki: Links for Surnames, Given Names, and Family Titles^~click
The entry by Jordan is the most eruidite.

If you can obtain the names in Chinese characters, it will make your Shanghai search more in the realm of possibility. Hopefully, the documents will have Chinese characters. See my link in red at the bottom. The Shanghai library has the most extensive collection of jiapu's^~click in the world

Doug