General Chat

After looking for months I've finally got some great certs with lots of family details. Been very frustrated see link. Can somebody tell me what otherwise means on death cert. I have name Alice Howard otherwise Eliza Howard under name and surname details. Was her first name Alice or Eliza? Can anybody help. Sue

Hello Sue, I would take it to mean that although her first name was Alice, she preferred (or was always known as) Eliza. I have an aunty Ethel, whose given name was Sarah Ethel. When she and her sisters were put in a childrens home, the matron apparently decided that Sarah was too "posh" a name for a little urchin, and promptly called her Ethel. It's stuck to this day! Jacqui

Hi My husband's GtGrandmother was born Elizabeth Masters but on her death certificate is Sarah Ingram. On her marriage certificate to John Ingram she is Elizabeth but signed Sarah. I had terrible trouble finding that one as the GRO kept saying Iiii had the wrong bride. Then on he marriage cert they put a note. ('please note the bride is Elizabeth but signed Sarah'). I would say that the first name is the name she was born with, the second the one she was known as. Ann Glos

Ann Do you know if Sarah and Elizabeth were names that were often interchanged? My Gt Grandmothers name on her marriage cert and her daughters birth cert is Elizabeth. I have not been able to trace her anywhere but there is a family on the census that has a Sarah of the right age. The fathers name is correct and so are the names of a brother and a sister that I knew about (there were other brothers I didn't know about). Also the name of the mother is the same as one of the witnesses at her wedding. What do you think? Jeanette

Don't know if Sarah and Elizabeth were regularly interchanged but it is possible as they were both such popular names. The only way to find out is to risk it and send for the certificate. Ann Glos

Cheers Ann! Thanks for the advice. Jeanette

Thanks very much for advice Anne,I think that must be it. Sue