Genealogy Chat

Hi all Has anyone come across the Mary being a man's name early 1800's Elaine

I havent but I did find a female Malcolm in the parish records for 1700's in Fife... LOL I guess anything is possible. Shaz x

What are the circumstances? The French use names I would have taken as female for men: Anne, Marie etc. Do you think it is genuinely a man, or an error in the records?

Not sure, have found a baptism for an extra sibling surname Hurst and am trying to connect a family called Hurst with a visitor whose surname is Hurst, wondering if the later family descend from the baptism I found to tie it all in, clear as mud!!! Elaine Elaine

I did find a male Mary in the 1841 census the other day. However, by 1851, the gender reassignment was complete.

If I follow you, Elaine, You have the baptism of Mary Hurst and wish to prove that she was the father of a subsequent family?

Geoff... thats great, ha ha what a great way to put it :-)) Shaz x

Yes Brenda you are on my wave length, clutching at straws I know but at least the gender reassignment made me laugh Elaine

Anything is possible, though the children baptised with the wrong sex are unlikely to make it as parents. Whatever sex the child, it had a subsequent life. You are going to have to find out whether it died as an infant, married as a man or married as a woman, appeared on any censuses, etc. It is possible that two children are born at more or less the same time, but you do need to find as many references as possible (a birth or baptism with Mary as the father might help your case!)

I found a child called Mary recently, but she was listed on the census as a son. I had a closer look and it turns out she was Henry! nell

Thanks all Somewhere I thought I had heard Mary could be a man's name so had to ask here as you always learn something, Thanks for taking the time to reply Elaine

Hello, One of my husbands uncles in Ireland is called Joseph Mary O'Neil and he is still alive today so its possible best wishes Jenny

Hi, my grandmother was Mary but it was written as Wally! So anything is a poss.. Deb

Hi Elaine Jenny beat me to it but just to confirm that it is not unusual for male Irish Catholics to have the name Mary as a second name. Vivienne

Thanks for those last comments, It's brilliant when people help out like this and it leaves possibilities for me still. Elaine

Ann used to be a male name and there are still many others (Evelyn, Hilary) which can be used for either gender. The gendering of names is a social thing; there's no law stating you can't baptize a son Mary or a daughter John. It's more likely that there's been a mistake made somewhere.

Just a thought, maybe the original said Mark, but whoever transcribed it read the old fashioned handwriting as Mary? Dianne

Not Mary but I know of a Marrion Morrison who was a man It was John Wayne's real name