Odd first name

[Guest]

Can anyone help please? I have been researching on the 1861 Census for the 'Heames' surname in the Stoke-on-Trent area and came across two first names in the same family unit which I have never come across before.

The given name was Abia. Has anyone come across this first name and is it an abbreviation for a longer name?

Help will be much appreciated.

[kylejustin]

i would think its a mistranscription.

[Jeanette In Yorkshire]

Well, the one I found in 1861 definitley says Abia on the image.

I seem to recall that an ancestor of my OH had this first name. Let me see if I can go find it

[Jeanette In Yorkshire]

Right, found her! She is variously transcribed as Abia, Abea, Abba, Abbe and Abi. I always took it to be short for Abigail but I couldn't swear by it. The only time she is referred to as Abigail is in a submitted record on the IGI

1841 (Transcribed as Abra but image says Abia) Wife of Obediah Noble

HO107; Piece 1026; Book: 10;Folio: 15; Page: 24

[Just Barbara]

Abia was a king of Judah, it'll be a bible name I guess.........

[Breckland Jane]

The meaning of the name Abia(h) can be found here

Abiah - meaning of Abiah name

Jane

[Jeanette In Yorkshire]

Well, I've learnt something today! lol. Thanks Barbara and Jane

[Just Barbara]

;)....................................

[Garce]

Thanks

Both of the Abia family member were male (father and son) so I was getting worried about the name being a derivative of a female name!

As for transcription, on the very same Census sheet the trancriber had shown the boy as 'Abia' and his father as 'Alice'.

Thanks everyone especially the link to the meaning of the name.