response linguist list query several weeks ago submitted following query linguist list know written description soundex code rules writing software program help wife decode surnames genealogical research description located date summary leaving lots unanswered questions received 12 responses including two australia one uk total included code two c language programs access third c function basic program offer pascal program reputed perform soundex translation origin soundex attributed 1880 us census well odell russel 1920 nearly respondants referred paraphrased pages 391 392 art computer programming vol 3 sorting searching donald knuth addison wesley 1973 description soundex algorithm knuth attributed description 1918 1922 u patents margaret k odell robert c russell respondants burns cyc com goodr uxa cso uiuc edu bill hivnet ubc ca evan antworth sil org goertzen rrnet com included code soundex bas published pc magazine 29 sep 92 offer soundex routine pascal direction c function metaphon claims correct flaws original soundex routine c gazette june 1991 mis seiden com included code two c language programs one employing table lookup switch statement macrakis osf org included knuth references us patents 1261167 1918 1435663 1922 j acm 8 538 1961 commun acm 5 169 1962 federal population censuses 17901890 national archives 1971 p 90 sds5 ukc ac uk lojbab access digex net included source c code internet wasserman mary fordham edu jhs extro ucc su oz au mfw lexicon oz au thank interest effort respond