If you've traced your ancestry, what are the ways in which your surname has changed or evolved from its original spelling? ~

My maiden name lost letters. (from 5 to 3) It was changed to spell the way it sounds. It also makes it look oriental which it is not.
My husbands name is constant but some other lines lost a letter. Supposedly over a family fight. So one side removed a letter. 

I can only speak for my mother's side.
My ancestors in Russia/The Ukraine were either Blumenthal or Goldstein. My grandfather changed his name to Davis to avoid discrimination of Jews when he came to America. I consider myself a Davis even though my last name is not. (My middle name is.)

My British surname has several different spellings and pronunciations; it has changed at least twice. And there's one "splinter" clan of my ancestors that spell it an alternate way to this day. 

My Irish surname has only one spelling in Ireland, but too many to count everywhere else.

Her Curt -- Harcourt, circa C11th, Normandy

Dads side from 968 in Aachen - no change No change upon arrival in the US per se.  The Umlaut has been dropped however
Moms side from 1066 in Southern England - no change pre se, the accent mark has been removed in the spelling