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Surnames

ASTONITE

ASTONITE

master brummie
Just to say to everyone who has hit a brick wall, not to give up. After about 4 years of fruitless searching, I hit the jackpot and found my ancestor under a completely different surname. On searching, I have now found four different variations of the same name, Also, it appears that lots of people in the 19th century were both illiterate and innumerate, and so unable to spell their names. Census gatherers also make lots of mistakes.
 
On a slightly different note: I don't know if anyone has read that super little book called ''Potty, Fartwell and Knob''? It's a collection of odd names, complete with their origins from various documents. Apart from being vastly amusing (it's a real larf!) it shows/explains that many surnames have been changed over the last hundred or so years, in order to remove the comedic, and embarrassing over-tones. Something any researcher should be aware of! I doubt that many 'Pillocks, Perverts, Ponces, Stupids, Weirds, Winos, Tools, Barelegs, Ovarys, Sperms, Baretits, Knockers, Tits, Teats, and Whoppers' still exist! (I kid you not!) .... which in a way, is all rather sad....but there again, perhaps not! :D
 
Have got the book and if you cross reference they are all genuine names, I struggled in amazement to think that parents actually gave their children these names, some much too rude to put on here!
 
ASTONITE said:
Have got the book and if you cross reference they are all genuine names, I struggled in amazement to think that parents actually gave their children these names, some much too rude to put on here!
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I was sorely tempted, but bottled-out ! :rolleyes: However, I really can't resist ''Fanny Allotta Mould'' (page 105) tee hee.....sniggers and runs away....

What's your favourite???
 
ASTONITE said:
Just to say to everyone who has hit a brick wall, not to give up. After about 4 years of fruitless searching, I hit the jackpot and found my ancestor under a completely different surname. On searching, I have now found four different variations of the same name, Also, it appears that lots of people in the 19th century were both illiterate and innumerate, and so unable to spell their names. Census gatherers also make lots of mistakes.
Click to expand...


I had the same problem as you, my ancestors had a wolverhampton accent when they moved to brum, that how the name got misspelt, after a lot of headaches I got there in end.
 
Mine changed thier name on the 1881 census from Veness to Smith on the 1891 census.
 
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Read a story once about a woman name of Smythe who was getting fed up of people misspelling her name. (It is pronounced "Smith"). She had to order something by phone and when asked her name and address for delivery, said "Smythe - with an 'E'.
When the parcel arrived, it was addressed to:
Mrs Smith-Withaney.
 
I had the same problem looking for my Harris family, so I went through the Census's changing the H for all the letters in the alphebet and when I came to Jarris there they were and looking at the census form you could see it was Harris but you could see where the mistake had been made, I hope this helps someone.

Pat
 
Hi

A Victorian ancestor of mine was blessed with Virgin as one of her forenames.
What were her parents thinking of !!

Kind regards
Dave
 
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