Genealogy Chat

I'm trying to think of reasons why my gt gt grandfather - George - would want to change his family name from Darter to Painter between the census's 1881 and 1891 (aged 28yrs - 38yrs) - he changed not only his name but his whole family - wife and 8 children - a bit drastic! any ideas would be gratefully received.
Thanks
Yvonne

have you looked at the actual census page it may be a transcription error.

are the places of birth the same

Ynonne,

You are not alone with this problem. I searched and searched for my grandfather and his family with no luck. After a two year research I discovered he had changed his name from his birth surname to his mothers maiden name.

When this info came to light it put a family story in the picture. Granddad did not get on with his step father who was a baker, and he accidentally set fire to the bakery. About 1890, he ran away from home and took a ship to Australia and was away for some two years. On his return to the UK he settled in London and never returned to Liverpool.

All his 12 children were named for their grandmother and it was not until I started this research that it came to light.

Look for some sort of family story that may give you a clue.

Good luck

Kathlyn

Have you checked 1901?

For ref....1881

Name: George Darter
Age: 28
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1853
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Emma
Gender: Male
Where born: Notting Hill, Middlesex, England

Civil Parish: Edmonton
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street address: 47 Coles Avenue
Condition as to marriage: Married
Occupation: Scale Maker

Registration district: Edmonton
Sub-registration district: Edmonton
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Amy J. Darter
Edith G. Darter 4
Emma Darter 28
Florence G. Darter 3
George Darter 28
Maud R. Darter 6

But I can't see George Painter in 1891 with details matching those above.............what are the refs?

Reg

can you find death certs in either name that match his birth?

I can see how Darter and Painter could be mistranscribed with scrawley handwriting....

One of my ancestors was transcribed as McNally on the 1901 census, and it was really Murray

Is this the one you are comparing it with the place of birth is different

Name: George Painter
Age: 37
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1854
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Emma J
Gender: Male
Where born: Old Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England

Civil Parish: Frampton Cotterell
Ecclesiastical parish: Frampton Cotterell
Town: Frampton Cotterell
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street address:Northwood stable

Occupation:coachman

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: Chipping Sodbury
Sub-registration district: Iron Acton
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
George Harris 18
Arther G Painter 13
Bertie R Painter 9
Emma J Painter 39
Frank Painter 2
Fred Painter 6
George Painter 37
Sidney J Painter 15


and this is Sidney on the 1881 with his grandparents

Name: Sidney Painter
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relation: Grandson
Father's Name: James
Gender: Male
Where born: Old Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England

Civil Parish: Old Sodbury
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street address: The Green
Education:

Employment status: View Image
Occupation: Scholar

Registration district: Chipping Sodbury
Sub-registration district: Chipping Sodbury
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Elizabeth Newman 61
James Newman 26
John Newman 70
Percy Painter 6
Sidney Painter 4

Yes you are not alone on this one my gt-grandfather changed is surname i remember my grandfather telling me if any one was to ever go in search of a family tree they would have a hard job.
Well thanks to 1891 census and a clue where he was born and going on the orignal surname i tracked him down.
Now i can go in search of his milatry records..
Would of loved to have known why he changed his surname seems so drastic to me...

I can see how it would be very easy for there to have been an error when transcribing Darter and Painter as they have a similar structure.

Some census handwriting is very difficult to read and interpret, I would guess this is the more likely explaination rather than a change of name.

Wow! Thanks so much for all your thoughts and suggestions!

Shirley - yes have looked at transciptions and birthdates - cross checked - all seem to be the same family.

Kathlyn - Thanks for thoughts re. checking family names - as yet no Painter in female side of family but will keep hunting. How you ever found out about your bakery fire is a mystery to me - you must be a good 'detective'.

Reggie - Found them in Scotland in the 1891 census!! - living in Lanarkshire -another child born into the family and by 1901 they had moved to Birmingham - and another child had also been born in Scotland and added to the 1901 census. Seems very odd all this moving about.

Rebecca - Actually although the census's say that he was born in Middlesex, London - I can't find a birth for either a George Darter or Painter anywhere that fits - and I haven't got as far as looking for his death - sorry - my next task.

Teddys - I have looked back at both names on the census's and they definately are 2 seperate names.

Shirley - Unfortunately I don't think that this is the correct family (in Old Sodbury) - the names don't tie up.

Sandie - yes really drastic when a whole family changes its name and also they moved to Scotland during the years that the name was changed!

Insomnia - I don't think in this case there is an error - have looked again.

Thanks for all your comments - so appreciate all advice.

Have you actually looked at the image of 1891 census? NOT just the transciption?

Reg

Hi Reggie,

Yes I have the image from 'Scotlandspeople'.

That bangs that on the head then!

Maybe he was running away from the law!!!

The other possible answer is that the enumerator had difficulty in reading his own writing when transferring the info from the original docs to the census page................or a different person did the transfer....... and. similarly, misinterpreted the details. The names, when hand written, are not that dissimilar...........

Reggie is correct, remember that the census image on Ancestry is still only a transcript.

Okay but somehow I've found George's possible father - Thomas Darter - from West IIsley in Berkshire - census information shows George as a son BUT learnt a lesson today because I can't remember how I found him or how I connected George to Thomas - must always remember to keep a record of how I did things!