Genealogy Chat

I think we all need to "think outside the box" when we do our research. We tend to put our modern thoughts, laws, morals etc. on our ancestors without realising that they lived in a different time and under different circumstances. How many of us have felt a little shocked that a man or woman with children married very shortly after losing their spouse without thinking that it was often the only way to keep a family together or out of the workhouse.

Sue

You can still do that if you just fancy changing your name, as long as it is not for criminal purposes.

However, you might find problems though if, for example you want to get married or apply for a passport when asked to produce documentary evidence.

Even a Deed Poll is nothing more than a piece of paper you sign confirming you are now known by a different name.

I don't think the rules were so strict either, so perhaps if you fancied changing your name you could just do so? My mother's paternal ancestors seemed to use two different variations of the surname - often at the same time so perhaps they disagreed about what it should really be and each member of the family used their own variation!

Please remember that from some of the earlier censuses forms were handed out to householders to complete. That didn't start with the 1911 it happened before that. So some of the mistranscriptions and errors were down to our ancestors not being able to spell ...

Jill

Thank you IGP. So I have to wonder who my ancestor is? He was born Charles Stockill - his mother married Mr Moles. Charles took that name and as said the name eventually changed to Maude and that stuck. Does that mean I'm not a direct descendant of the Maude name - it appears to have come out of nowhere.

Sue

Also it is worth remembering that unlike today, in some cases there was no standard spelling of names so it could easily vary from family to family. Spelling standardisation didn't really happen until the end of the 1900's and with more people becoming literate.

Quite often too, a particular numerator would use the same spelling for all members with that name in his patch - not necessarily the same spelling as in a neighbouring ED.

Ah Patricia...my next query. An ancestor started out as Moles even married called Moles. He and his wife then became Mawles, Maud and Maude. My 3 x great grandfather was Mr M's stepson. He ended up with the Maude name and he kept that through to his death as did his children. So Mr. Moles's children ended up being Maudes. Am I to assume this isn't uncommon?

Sue

I think that because the census returns were filled in by an enumerator (is that the right term?) then there were a lot of spelling errors, names were written as they sounded and often the person giving the information couldn't write anyway. I have found my ancestors' surname written in many different ways (and often transcribed wrongly), so keep your witsabout you! My mother's paternal side also must have had a dispute about their surname as it appears in two different ways even on the same document (a marriage certificate where the bride's was one way and the witness who was my grandad, was the alternative). It also varied on each census.

Ah....not at all uncommon then. Thanks for all your replies. I was starting to think I'd made a mistake and gone down the wrong line. I now see that it does happen.

The other thing is finding the name changes through the years. You really have to think outside the box when you get into this genealogy lark:-))
Sue

Oh, and I also found ancestors listed in Denbighshire (Wales) and Shropshire (England) on the same census (1851); they lived right on the border

Yes, I found someone listed on the 1851 (I think) census both in the "tied cottage" and in the "big house" where she worked as a cook - obviously her husband and her employer listed her.

~~~~ waves to Aunty Sue

Yes. One of OH's ancestors was with his brother and family in one census and I was struggling to find anything else about him at the time. Then, strolling through the microfiche (humph) there he was with his wife and family a few streets away ...

Then one of my son's ancestors listed all of his children - the ones who had died, the one who had married ... excellent help for me and luckily I could read all the details through the enumerators purple pen!! (1911).

Jill

My gggrandfather is listed as being with the family where in actual fact he was in hospital. (Rather him than me in 1851)
Would think the family didn´t realise that he would be counted there as well.

Frequently..........

I have found several instances of this researching only my own tree...........let alone any others.

My Grandmother is listed on the 1911 Census as being at home with her parents in Lambeth London and also as being in Birmingham at her Aunts as an adopted Daughter aged 12 years old.

Yes, we have too. My ggg grandmother is recorded at home with her family and visiting a friend the other side of the village in 1861.

Interestingly for this year, 2011 that is exactly what you do if someone is staying away from home on the 27th March, record them under both addresses, one as resident and the other as visitor.

Thank you for your replies. I guess - as Jan has said - that sometimes people just listed the people in their household rather than who was there at the time. Shirley - that's a tricky one. Your 3 x great gran was in two households - just not at the same time:-))

Thanks again.

Sue

Yes My grtx3 grandmother was a monthly nurse and is listed on the 1871 census at the house she was attending the new Mum and at her home address too .

Yes my grandfather and his brother are listed with their parents and at an aunt's on the same census.

This has happened from time-to-time. I imagine his wife just listed all members of the household rather than just who was there at the time
Or more fancifully, maybe he travelled to his brother's place after the first enumerator visit and before the next one!
Jan