Real names, race, Hispanic origin for the 1800s...and later.

BPS · 05-04-2024, 06:49 PM

When you create a fictional game for, say, 1871 using default name data in OOTP you get, for instance, Kyles and Connors and other names are not appropriate for the late 1800s.

Below is how to get names of real people who lived in the 1800s in the US which you can use in your game. It's all pretty easy.

For instance, you can get the actual names (and race and Hispanic origin of these people) for about 250,000 males collected as part of the US Census in 1880. You can get this data for many different years too.

You can then use these names in your game in OOTP. No need to have Kyles in your 1871 game.

Here's how to get the name data.

1. Go to https://www.ipums.org/
2. Click on IPUMS USA.
3. From the left menu pick "register." Then "apply for access." Complete form. Notice that you must accept "You will not redistribute the data without permission." This is a contract you are agreeing to. But you can use the data for your own purposes.
4. Log in.
5. Click "Select data"
6. Next you will determine which census and what size sample you want to download. Click on "Select sample." Uncheck "default sample for each year." Chick below on, say, "1880 1%" sample. Click on “Submit sample selection” at top. At this point, you have determined where your names will come from. A 1% sample is all you need. The data in this case will be those collected in the 1880 census. Some of these names will be for new borns. Others will be for people 100+ years old.
7. Under "Select Harmonized Variables" heading select Persons and then Demographic. Then select Sex and Age.
8. Under "Select Harmonized Variables" heading select Persons and then Race, Ethnicity, etc. Then select Race and Hispanic Origin.
9. Under "Select Harmonized Variables" heading select the letter "N." Then select First Name and Last Name.
10. Under Data Cart select View Cart.
11. Uncheck extra variables that aren't needed.
12. Click on Create Data Extract.
13. At top (in faint text) change the data format to “.csv.”
14. Click on Submit Extract
15. You can now download the data file along with the code book (which you need to look at to know about race, sex, and Hispanic origin data).
16. The data is downloaded as a gz file.” Double click on file to get to .csv file. Double click on this .csv file to open up in your spreadsheet program.

At this point, you might have 500,000 records with that many names.

Many names will have "?" or other characters. Some names will miss first or last names. But the remaining names are real ones of actual people who have their race and ethnicity identified. The codes for race in this data set is different for the codes for race in OOTP. You'll need to change them.

For my 1871 start I use the 1880 census. I deleted females. I then limited the names to people with appropriate age (maybe 30-40 years old in 1880). Then I determined how names I needed and randomly selected the needed number of names (and associated race and Hispanic origin).

I start my OOTP game by dumping all players created by the game into the free agent pool. I export these players. Then I swap out their OOTP-created names, race, ethnicity for those I randomly selected from the big database of names. I then import them back into the game. This gives me real names along with a set of players that accurately represents race and Hispanic origin for the last 1880s (as the names are randomly selected from the big census database).

Then, before each draft, I export the new players and give them new names (and race/ethnicity) randomly selected from the census data. Then I import this changed data into the game.

You'll notice you get, for instance, many players with the same first names (e.g., John) because that is how people were named in the late 1800s. And, you'll get many abbreviated names (Jos, Benj, etc) which you can change yourself to the appropriate name. Further, I change, for instance, many Williams to Will, Willy, Bill, etc. Back in the 1880s, people often didn't use their formal names.

The above does not involve too much work, and it gives you player names (and race) that are perfect reflection of what was actually the case in the late 1800s.

I've omitted many details about how I use this database. You can figure the minor details out yourself!

05-04-2024, 06:49 PM	#1
BPS All Star Reserve Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 717	Real names, race, Hispanic origin for the 1800s...and later. When you create a fictional game for, say, 1871 using default name data in OOTP you get, for instance, Kyles and Connors and other names are not appropriate for the late 1800s. Below is how to get names of real people who lived in the 1800s in the US which you can use in your game. It's all pretty easy. For instance, you can get the actual names (and race and Hispanic origin of these people) for about 250,000 males collected as part of the US Census in 1880. You can get this data for many different years too. You can then use these names in your game in OOTP. No need to have Kyles in your 1871 game. Here's how to get the name data. 1. Go to https://www.ipums.org/ 2. Click on IPUMS USA. 3. From the left menu pick "register." Then "apply for access." Complete form. Notice that you must accept "You will not redistribute the data without permission." This is a contract you are agreeing to. But you can use the data for your own purposes. 4. Log in. 5. Click "Select data" 6. Next you will determine which census and what size sample you want to download. Click on "Select sample." Uncheck "default sample for each year." Chick below on, say, "1880 1%" sample. Click on “Submit sample selection” at top. At this point, you have determined where your names will come from. A 1% sample is all you need. The data in this case will be those collected in the 1880 census. Some of these names will be for new borns. Others will be for people 100+ years old. 7. Under "Select Harmonized Variables" heading select Persons and then Demographic. Then select Sex and Age. 8. Under "Select Harmonized Variables" heading select Persons and then Race, Ethnicity, etc. Then select Race and Hispanic Origin. 9. Under "Select Harmonized Variables" heading select the letter "N." Then select First Name and Last Name. 10. Under Data Cart select View Cart. 11. Uncheck extra variables that aren't needed. 12. Click on Create Data Extract. 13. At top (in faint text) change the data format to “.csv.” 14. Click on Submit Extract 15. You can now download the data file along with the code book (which you need to look at to know about race, sex, and Hispanic origin data). 16. The data is downloaded as a gz file.” Double click on file to get to .csv file. Double click on this .csv file to open up in your spreadsheet program. At this point, you might have 500,000 records with that many names. Many names will have "?" or other characters. Some names will miss first or last names. But the remaining names are real ones of actual people who have their race and ethnicity identified. The codes for race in this data set is different for the codes for race in OOTP. You'll need to change them. For my 1871 start I use the 1880 census. I deleted females. I then limited the names to people with appropriate age (maybe 30-40 years old in 1880). Then I determined how names I needed and randomly selected the needed number of names (and associated race and Hispanic origin). I start my OOTP game by dumping all players created by the game into the free agent pool. I export these players. Then I swap out their OOTP-created names, race, ethnicity for those I randomly selected from the big database of names. I then import them back into the game. This gives me real names along with a set of players that accurately represents race and Hispanic origin for the last 1880s (as the names are randomly selected from the big census database). Then, before each draft, I export the new players and give them new names (and race/ethnicity) randomly selected from the census data. Then I import this changed data into the game. You'll notice you get, for instance, many players with the same first names (e.g., John) because that is how people were named in the late 1800s. And, you'll get many abbreviated names (Jos, Benj, etc) which you can change yourself to the appropriate name. Further, I change, for instance, many Williams to Will, Willy, Bill, etc. Back in the 1880s, people often didn't use their formal names. The above does not involve too much work, and it gives you player names (and race) that are perfect reflection of what was actually the case in the late 1800s. I've omitted many details about how I use this database. You can figure the minor details out yourself!