Is it possible for an entire family to use an alias?

[bridlady]

For years I've been trying to trace my husbands GG Grandfather with no success, however today I tried thinking outside the box so to speak and have come up with the name change theory! In 1881c Joel aged 21 born 1860 & Mary Watson aged 20 born 1861 are in belper derbys. Joel is recorded as being born in Northallerton, Yorkshire. Father given on marriage certificate as Joseph Watson Nailer. Another link to Northallerton is Rachael Booth nee Watson father on her marriage cert. to Alfred Booth is Joseph Watson nailer also in Belper, born Northallerton. On find my past I put in the details excluding surnames and got this!
1871 census Northallerton - Joseph Jackson Wid. Born 1811 Scotland occupation nailer. Joel Jackson born 1857 Durham. Rachel Jackson born 1859 Northallerton. Jane Jackson born 1863 Yorkshire.
1861c Northallerton Joseph Jackson born 1812 Glasgow occupation nail maker journeyman. Ann Jackson born 1824 born Richmond Yorks. Richard Jackson born 1853 Richmond yorks. (Bap. 24.10.1852 Richmond). Joel Jackson born 1857 Durham, Hartlepool. Rachel born 1861 Northallerton.
further exploration finds the deaths of Joseph Watson Belper in 1879, and Jane Watson Belper in 1876 which is why I've never been able to find them!
my question to you good folk is (a) is this feasible ? (B) am I being lead up the wrong path through sheer desperation ? (C) would a name change really occur? I await your replies with interest, thanks for reading! Jane

[Chrissie Smiff]

In 1871 Joseph Jackson says he is a widower, but you have got Jane Watson dying in 1876.
The other thing that strikes me is that there is a birth of a Joel Jackson in Sept 1856 Stockton.
Without further research I would say it's possible they are two different families.

[GallowayLass]

The other thing that strikes me is that there is a birth of a Joel Jackson in Sept 1856 Stockton.

That child has a mother's maiden surname of NELSON

[Guest]

there is a Joel Watson repeatedly before the courts wonder if this is himDerby Daily Telegraph 13 Apr 1883.PNG

[Guest]

I think this is your man ?? am I right in thinking you are looking for Joel ? and not his Father
name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Charles Watson Head Married Male 32 1859 Railway Labourer Yorkshire, England
Mary Watson Wife Married Female 31 1860 Yorkshire, England
Thomas E Watson Son Male 11 1880 Scholar Yorkshire, England
William Watson Son Male 9 1882 Scholar -
Harry Watson Son Male 7 1884 Scholar -
Living at
Redeness Street, St Cuthbert, York, Yorkshire, England

[Guest]

should have said in 1891

[Guest]

on second thoughts not so sure now, I was thinking maybe he changed his name for a reason ???

[Sylvia C]

I have to say that it is possible fro a family to change their surname!!

Some years ago, I spent a long time trying to help someone find their family. Nada.

But then I tried the search for christian names only ............. I found that they had changed their surname and moved to a village about 50 miles away. They were there for 2 censuses, then disappeared again ........

........ further searching on christian names showed them back in the old village .......... the father had died, and the rest of the family had reverted to their old surname and moved back to the "home" village :D

I could only assume that father had got himself into some trouble!

[Olde Crone Holden]

I ave a family who changed their name in the 1830s. Father went bankrupt and the family used his mother's maiden name from then on. The odd thing about this is that they continued to live in the same small area, so if they did it to avoid creditors it was a bit daft!

OC

[Macbev]

I have a family which alternated according to whether they were giving information to the census taker or whether they were registering BDMs.
Son was born illegitimate, so registered under his mother's maiden name. However, a couple of marriages later, she married the father of her son and the family appeared on every census thereafter under the father's name.
A generation later, the grandchildren were still using the mother's maiden name to register BDMs and I only twigged that the two names referred to the same family because a marriage in 1901 gave the same family address as the alternative name on the census of that year.......and a couple of sisters with unusual given names were witnesses at the wedding.

[Anne in Carlisle]

I also have a family which changed their surname from McQuone (many variations) to Mellor in the 1860s. Interestingly, for many years they kept the McQuone as a middle name for many years. Although I have found them all bith before and after the name change I have no idea why they changed or why they chose Mellor as their new name. It was probably some sort of fresh start because the change also coincided with a move from Lancashire to Hull, via Leeds.
Anne

[Anne in Carlisle]

Just thinking about another of my families. Father committed suicide and they moved from Lincolnshire to Bradford. Their real surname was Arrand but on all the censuses following the move they have the name Gibson. However they continue to use the Arrand surname for birth, baptism, marriages and deaths! Later some of them end up with both names!
Anne

[GallowayLass]

One of OH's great grandfathers married the first time using his correct surname, left for Glasgow and married for the second time (bigamously) using a variation. Had a child registered as the variation but then upped sticks and moved 20 miles east and took his 2nd wife's surname. The child also was now known as the new surname, as were all the subsequent children.
Daft thing was that the move meant the new family were living only 11 miles west of the first wife and his two sons. A bit close for comfort/secrecy, I would have thought and as he was a pillar of the community, he was hardly trying to keep under the radar LOL

[bridlady]

Thanks so much for all your responses, lots to think about, I'll keep digging to see if I can find anything more concrete to link the two!

[Uncle John]

On today's Heir Hunters a family changed surname (and moved) after the father deserted from the Navy around 1910. When deserters were accepted back, no questions asked, for WW1 service, the family reverted to the original surname.

[Guest]

do you have this Birth

WATSON, RICHARD SWIFT Order
GRO Reference: 1886 D Quarter in BELPER Volume 07B Page 589

[Guest]

and this
WATSON, MARY JANE SWIFT Order
GRO Reference: 1882 M Quarter in BELPER Volume 07B Page 620

[Guest]

very odd
WATSON, ALICE MAUD WATSON Order
GRO Reference: 1883 M Quarter in BELPER Volume 07B Page 640

[Guest]

hope I am on the right track ?

Mary Watson Head Widow Female 30 1861 Chevener Derbyshire, England
Jane Watson Daughter Female 9 1882 Scholar Derbyshire, England
Alice Watson Daughter 9 Female 8 1883 Scholar Belper, Derbyshire, England
Richard Watson Son Male 4 1887 Scholar Derbyshire, England
John W Watson Son Male 0 1891 Derbyshire, England
Alice Ride Niece Single Female 26 1865 Chevener Belper, Derbyshire, England

Living in Cow Hill Belper

[Guest]

should I be looking for Joseph Watson ,Father of Joel ,think I got muddled up