Genealogy Chat

I think the best one in mine is that I've got a family 'Fawcett' on one side, and a family 'Drawater' on the other (faucet/draw water - get it ?!).

Geddit, geddit lolol. My great great grandmother married my great great grandfather's brother after the former died and carried on having children, just to confuse me many years later when I tried to unravel all the names. Only found out through a great aunt.

Julie, you mean she married her brother in law? Can I ask what year that was? Bob

I've got some illegitimate Weavers who turn out to be uncle and niece who marry , and she alternated between the name on her birth certificate and her fathers surname throughout life just to confuse me.MEANS Ihave Weavers on both sides of one tree all related and the tree when printed off goes round in a sort of circle?! KIM

I am married to a McLean. My maiden name was Gillan. Gillan is the Irish form of McLean. Patsy

The other co-incidence in mine is that my Gr-Grandfather, whose surname was Nobes, married a girl whose surname was Nobbs - according to the OED of Surnames Nobes and Nobbs, perhaps unsurprisingly, share the same root. I suppose you could theorise that somewhere way back in Norfolk history there will be a common ancestor - bit like the Windsors really ;) !

The reason I am interested is that you couldn't marry your brother or sisters spouse until 1907 and then only if the brother or sister had died. The same with marrying a niece or nephew, it's not allowed. Any marriage that does take place is automatically void. In Julie's case she would have the same surname as her new husband, so she may have used her birthname or lied. The marriage is still void however. Bob

I have a couple on my Dad's side (Martha Welch and Samuel Vine) getting married in Whitestaunton in Somerset in 1793, the same year as someone on my Mum's side (Ann Robinson who went on to marry a Cottey) was born there - they probably all knew each other!! All that 150 years before my Mum from Devon and my Dad from Leicester got married - just think of all the trouble we could have saved ourselves by getting it together in 1793!!

My quirks are recent. My mum (called Olive) had close friends called Hoyle. As children, we were very glad mum hadn't married Mr Hoyle!! When I was at college, my sister-in-law's sister, her cousin and I all independently joined a Nursery nursing course. We were, alphabetically, Corkett, Duffett and Leggett!

Thanks Bob - wished I'd kept quiet now! Actually I am having probs. finding a marriage certificate so perhaps they never did make it legal. My own great gradfather just snicked in before his father died and seeing what he died of - just about everything - I have wondered if, well, you know, his brother already had his feet under the table! Further research may prove I am maligning my poor folk terribly. Have enjoyed all these quirks, everyone.

My mum's parents names were Maud and Horace. My dad's father had a half sister and brother called Maud and Horace. More recently, my brother married a woman who had the same first and middle name as my sister. Mel

My paternal grandmothers name was Berry and while trying to find her relations I came across a Christmas Berry and yes he was born on christmas day... It is a good job my daughter doesn't share her name or she would be Holly Berry...

For most of the periods that we research the "prohibited degrees" as they are called were established by the 1662 book of prayer as follows A man may not marry mother daughter adopted daughter father's mother mother's mother son's daughter daughter's daughter sister wife's mother wife's daughter father's wife son's wife father's father's wife mother's father's wife wife's father's mother wife's mother's mother wife's daughter's daughter wife's son's daughter son's son's wife daughter's son's wife father's sister mother's sister brother's daughter sister's daughter A Woman may not marry with her father son adopted son father's father mother's father son's son daughter's son brother husband's father husband's son mother's husband daughter's husband father's mother's husband mother's mother's husband husband's father's father husband's mother's father husband's son's son husband's daughter's son son's daughter's husband daughter's daughter's husband father's brother mother's brother brother's son sister's son In this Table the term 'brother' includes a brother of the half-blood, and the term 'sister' includes a sister of the half-blood. Statutes of 1907 & 1921 allowed the marriage to spouses of siblings. Further laws in 1931/49/86 allowed marriage to deceased wifes niece,aunt, or widowed mother. Bob

Just came accross one. Woo hoo! My maiden name is Poyntz and obviously I got this from my fathers side of the family. My GG Grandmother on my mothers side was a general domestic servant in 1891. Was just looking at the family she served to add to my notes and it was John Poyntz Owen! Don't think he is related but it is an unusual name. Naomi

My Great Gran's father was called Francis and he died when his ship was sunk in WW1. After she had married and went on to have a son, she named him Francis in memory of her late father. Unfortunately he died when his ship was sunk in WW2.

Not really a quirk as such, but was always slightly amused that my GGfather Thomas SMITH married a Sarah SMITH. All became clear when I worked out that they were cousins :) Not many quirks as yet, just a few dead ends and annoyingly common names (we're not just talking SMITH, we're takling alternating generation of John and Thomas SMITH), incorrect ages on census form, death certificates etc Fun isn't it lol

All I've found are one set of cousins marrying and then their grandchildren (one by the first couple's son, the other by their daughter) also marrying each other. I suppose, seeing as they lived in a small village on the welsh borders, there weren't many prospective spouses to pick from!

My grt grt grandad married a Mary Houghton, his father also married a Mary houghton, both of the Mary's had a dad called Peter! How confusing was that for me! I remember the old song '' I want a girl, just like the girl that married dear old dad' but i think that was taking it a bit too far!

I also find that not only do the same dates pop up time and time again along both sides of the family but also names. I have a Penfold in my tree and a Penfold who was marrige witness to someone on another branch. I am a Maynard by marriage and have had Maynard witnesses at marriages of years gone by and my maiden name of Poyntz which popped up on my GG Grandmothers 1891 census. I am a true believer of fate. Naomi

5 ancesters of different branches all born on 17th July. Arthur Koestler, philospher, observed " coincidences happen too often for them to be coincidences"