8. A process operable on one or more computers for identifying duplicate records among a plurality of records in a database, each record having a plurality of fields, comprising: (a) setting a threshold match probability; (b) calculating record match probabilities for each of a plurality of possible patterns, wherein each pattern is a different permutation of comparisons between said fields and wherein each record match probability is a posterior probability that two records are duplicates given that the two records fit the respective pattern; (c) identifying patterns having record match probabilities meeting or exceeding said threshold match probability; (d) disregarding patterns having record match probabilities lower than said threshold match probability; (e) determining which records pairs within the plurality of records have one or more of said identified patterns; and (f) analyzing said record pairs to determine whether said record pairs are duplicates; wherein steps (b)-(d) occur prior to steps (e) and (f).
8. A process operable on one or more computers for identifying duplicate records among a plurality of records in a database, each record having a plurality of fields, comprising: (a) setting a threshold match probability; (b) calculating record match probabilities for each of a plurality of possible patterns, wherein each pattern is a different permutation of comparisons between said fields and wherein each record match probability is a posterior probability that two records are duplicates given that the two records fit the respective pattern; (c) identifying patterns having record match probabilities meeting or exceeding said threshold match probability; (d) disregarding patterns having record match probabilities lower than said threshold match probability; (e) determining which records pairs within the plurality of records have one or more of said identified patterns; and (f) analyzing said record pairs to determine whether said record pairs are duplicates; wherein steps (b)-(d) occur prior to steps (e) and (f). 9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein said threshold match probability and said record match probabilities are Bayesian posterior probabilities.