Is Jane really Janet

[Jac]

I have just received the marriage cert of William Gray to Janet Byers. Janet ia 21 in 1876 making her bith year 1855. Janet and William married in Derby but living in Wigan. Witnesses to marriage John Gray and Elizabeth Elenor Byers possibly sister as Jane has sister Elizabeth..Have been unable to find birth for Janet but have one for Jane Ann Byers 1855 June Qtr Newington 1d 213

Both Janet and Jane Ann born 1855, both have father Frederick William Byers who is a Hatter Frederick born Newington and bapt at St George Southwark 1829. Frederick married Matilda Julia Scott 1853.
In the census 1861Byers family with Jane at 24 Trafalgar st Walworth, 1871 at 44 School st Wigan.1881 no Jane and family at Pemberton Lancs.

So could Jane and Janet be the same person???

[Jessbowbag]

sounds likely

[Jac]

Thanks Jess Think I will try Jane Anns bc and see if she has a middle name of Janet ?

[Little Nell]

Very likely. I remember in Jane Eyre Mr Rochester calls Jane Janet sometimes. Or maybe Jane decided Jane was a bit plain and changed it herself. I have an Annie who became Elizabeth Anne when she married and a Rose who decided to be called Rosella in later life.

[goodygumdrops]

On this theme what name could you have that made you change it to a SARAH or a THOMAS (grasping at straws here)
I have a Sarah (widow) who says she was born in 1782 in a village in Berkshire, the Parish records have been searched ,all the Sarah's bapt. ca. 1782 +/- 5 years have been noted and marriages checked between a Sarah and Thomas Wicks/Weeks and variations of that name, can find NONE that match. Surrounding counties also searched. Have been searching now for about 4 years

[Lindsay]

I suppose the most common would be Sarah as a middle name, although in my family it was the mid nineteenth century before they appeared.

Have you tried non-conformist records? Or could she just be older than she said?

[Oakum Picker]

I have lots who are born in a different village every census!! So does she only appear in one census? If so you'll need to spread your net.

[Jac]

As Jane she appears in the '61, '71 census by '81 she is married to William. All info remains constant through the census to 1901. William Janet and family are in Southall Middx at that time Have yet to check 1911

[Somerset Sal]

It sounds very likely that they're the same person and that a mistake was made on the original marriage register. The records aren't infallible: I have an ancestress called Frances whose surname variously appears as Parke or Parker. I've now established that her father's name was indeed Parke without the last R.