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Bullock to Thomas name change?

D

delapreron

New Member
After many years of searching for the registration of my grandmother’s birth I have established that the family changed their name from Bullock to Thomas shortly after her birth. In the 1881 census the family is recorded as Joseph & Elizabeth Bullock, both born in Oldbury about 1850 with 3 children listed; John b 1871, Hannah b 1876 & Rebecca b 1879. This family group disappear completely from the records but in the next census a Joseph & Elizabeth Thomas are to be found in West Bromwich with a daughter Hannah b 1876 and 2 more daughters under 10 years old. Rebecca had unfortunately died, and John was no longer at home. This name change is supported by DNA links.

Does any one have any family knowledge / rumours as to this name change and why it happened?

Thanks in anticipation, Ron
 
I think I can partly answer it. It appears that Joseph's grandfather died not long after his father was born and his grandmother, Mary Ann Wellings, re-married John Thomas.

On the 1841 census John Bullock was listed in Halesowen with his mother, step father and half siblings.

Mary Ann Wellings married John Bullock 21 Nov 1825 Birmingham.

All half siblings born after 1837 are listed with mmn Wellings.

So that's possibly why he chose Thomas but not why he decided to change, maybe no other reason than John Thomas was his grandfather in all but name.

And could it be more than coincidence that both his parents were dead by 1891?
 
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Thank you very much MWS for this Info, things do start to make a lot more sense now. Not wishing to impose but did you come across a marriage for Mary Ann Welling/Bullock and John Thomas in your research?
 
No, couldn't find a marriage for them. Which could just mean that wherever they got married is not available online yet or it could be that they didn't marry.
 
Once again MWS, thank you kindly for your time and help.

Did you also notice in your digging that Joseph’s father (John Bullock b 1825) married Amelia Evetts (b 1828) in Quinton on 25 Dec 1848 who following the death of her husband in 1873 went on to marry widower Richard Barnsley on 21 June 1880.

Richard Barnsley had previously been married to Hannah Bird (1826 – 1878) who was the father of Joseph’s wife – Elizabeth Barnsley!

Thanks again, Ron
 
I noticed that Amelia re-married and I assumed he was a relative of her son's wife but didn't look further.
 
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