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Does anyone know anything about name changes in the 1800s?

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  • Does anyone know anything about name changes in the 1800s?

    Did people change their names in the 1800s?

    I have a family member that has always been named David. His marriage certificate says David, his children's baptism's also named him David, However, I am unable to find any documents for David before his marriage and when looking into his parents a bit more, it looks like the only children they had were a William and a Lucy.
    I am so confused. This is why I am wondering if people changed their names in this period.
    Any help would be much appreciated.

  • #2
    Have you found any baptisms of children to those parents? Sometimes children were given an extra forename on baptism that wasn’t on the birth certificate and that child is known thereafter as the extra given name. Also sometimes the person really dislikes one of their given names and chooses as an adult to use they one they do like.

    Comment


    • #3
      do you have his birth cert or the GRO entry? what was his fathers name? Maybe known by different name as fathers name the same until he moved out?
      Carolyn
      Family Tree site

      Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
      Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by GallowayLass View Post
        Have you found any baptisms of children to those parents? Sometimes children were given an extra forename on baptism that wasn’t on the birth certificate and that child is known thereafter as the extra given name. Also sometimes the person really dislikes one of their given names and chooses as an adult to use they one they do like.
        Yes, I have found the baptisms to the children of those parents, they are William John and Lucy.
        There is no record of David before his marriage.

        John bray & Margaret Bray had William John and Lucy, However, they should have had David as well, but there is no record of him and the William john I can't find after his baptism. This is why I am thinking they could be the same person, but I don't know how to prove it.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
          do you have his birth cert or the GRO entry? what was his fathers name? Maybe known by different name as fathers name the same until he moved out?
          He was born in 1809/10 so birth certificate and GRO isn't available

          Comment


          • #6
            It's possible that you may not have all the children, records could be missing? and maybe no records are available before his marriage?
            Carolyn
            Family Tree site

            Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
            Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
              It's possible that you may not have all the children, records could be missing? and maybe no records are available before his marriage?
              I did think this could be a possibility. It is so disappointing when you're unable to put all the pieces together. I may just have to move on from this one.

              Thank you for your input.

              Comment


              • #8
                If you want to post the details someone maybe able to find something additional for you.
                Carolyn
                Family Tree site

                Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                Comment


                • #9
                  Here is what I have so far....


                  David Bray - abt 1810 Ringmer, Sussex, England

                  Married: Hannah Parker (Waller) 24th December 1848, Portslade, Sussex

                  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61...DR53-V29?i=746

                  The marriage registrar states David’s father is John Bray.



                  The only John Bray I can find in the right area and time married Margaret Evans

                  However, when I search for children of John & Margaret I can only find

                  William John - 1809 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discovery.../87433178:9841

                  Lucy - 1811 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discovery...w/1731406:9841



                  David appears on all censuses up to 1881 Just as David, no middle name.

                  His birth always calculates to abt 1810

                  And they all state he was born in Ringmer, Sussex


                  I have searched for baptisms in Sussex for David from 1810 - 1848 when he got married to no avail


                  David died: 10 May 1886 - Steyning Workhouse, Ham Road, Shoreham-By-Sea, Sussex, England of Chronic Bronchitis.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    There is another John Bray having children in Ringmer in the period you are interested in, he married Charity Collins 4th Nov 1792 and had nine children bapt there between 1793 and 1812, (none named David unfortunately).

                    Their last son, Isaiah (bapt 1812) named one of his sons David Thomas (bapt in Ringmer 1854) which makes me think there may have been a connection.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Sometimes one child in a family is born and baptised in a different parish - prem baby born when mother away from home, , child small and so a quick baptism in case the child died. Also bear in mind that not all baptisms are online.
                      Is the parish baptism record complete and in good repair? Sometimes a baptism shows up in the BTs, but not in the original parish register; some BTs have not been filmed and collated, or have not survived.

                      Jay
                      Janet in Yorkshire



                      Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I've just looked at the register images on Familysearch, the book is well kept and neatly written. Likewise the BTs.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Jill on the A272 View Post
                          There is another John Bray having children in Ringmer in the period you are interested in, he married Charity Collins 4th Nov 1792 and had nine children bapt there between 1793 and 1812, (none named David unfortunately).

                          Their last son, Isaiah (bapt 1812) named one of his sons David Thomas (bapt in Ringmer 1854) which makes me think there may have been a connection.
                          did wonder if same John remarrying, but doesn't quite fit They are all transcribed on freereg, but like you say no David, but many more children than you have:
                          William Bray 28 Apr 1793 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          Lucy Bray 15 Mar 1795 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          Hannah Bray 14 May 1797 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          John Bray 14 Apr 1799 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          Richard Bray 24 May 1801 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          Joseph Bray 3 Oct 1802 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          James Bray 2 Sep 1804 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          Henry Bray 25 Sep 1808 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          William John Bray 26 Mar 1809 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Margaret
                          Lucy Bray 12 May 1811 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Margaret
                          Isaiah Bray 26 Jul 1812 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Charity
                          Sarah Bray 24 Oct 1813 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Margaret
                          Alice Bray 7 Jan 1816 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Margaret
                          Robert Bray 19 Oct 1817 St Mary the Virgin, Ringmer John,Margaret

                          nb they are on Ancestry as well https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/co...0_1-0&count=50
                          Last edited by cbcarolyn; 15-02-21, 19:19.
                          Carolyn
                          Family Tree site

                          Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                          Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Looks like Charity died in 1841, so must be 2 seperate families
                            Carolyn
                            Family Tree site

                            Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                            Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              This is so strange. I have managed to overcome so many problems with my family history, but this one has truly got me.

                              When working from myself backwards I end up at David and I can remember my great-great-grandmother even mentioning him in an old diary that I no longer have.
                              So I know David exists, yet, the first record I can find of him is his marriage in 1848 and there is nothing before that.

                              I have looked into both john brays but opted for John who married Margaret Evans because he ended up in a workhouse the same as David. and the dates also fit a little better.

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                I did wonder if the 2 johns are uncle and nephew.

                                The date of 1810 could fit into either family as there is a gap.
                                Carolyn
                                Family Tree site

                                Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Yeah, they could be. I might look into that. But I still can't find David

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    will have a wander through the papers it might just have something First up just for interest:

                                    in the Brighton Gazette - Thursday 04 June 1835 there is an article stating that William Bray is the governor of Ringmer workhouse

                                    Brighton Gazette - Thursday 26 December 1844 William Bray is Assistant Overseer
                                    Carolyn
                                    Family Tree site

                                    Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                    Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      It doesn't look like he's the son of John & Margaret, as there are removal records for them from Ringmer, including the following, dated July 1818:

                                      Quarter sessions order confirming removal from Ringmer - 17 Jul 1818
                                      [Removal] of John Bray, wife Margaret and children John (9 years), Lucy (7 years), Sarah (5 years), Alice (3 years) and Robert (1 year) to Bexhill

                                      If they'd had an extra child missed from the baptism register then he'd still have been included in the removal.

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        It has been known for people to change their names, because they didn't like the names they'd been given at birth, or to avoid something.

                                        It is still done today ...... and it has never needed any legal procedure or cost. It is quite sufficient just to change your name ........... forename, surname or both ........ by simply telling everyone who needs to know.

                                        If someone wishes to have more notice taken of it, eg by refusing to pay any debts after a certain date, they can post a notice in the Legal column of a local newspaper, stating something like "I, Joe Brown, will be known as Jack Smith as of February 14, and will not be responsible for any debts incurred by Joe Brown". I used to see plenty of those in the local paper in my home town in Lancashire.

                                        I've noticed several notices in the last few months in our local newspaper here in BC by people from India, in which they give their name, and address, often in India (!), and stating that henceforth they will be known as xxxxxx, or their children will be known as xxxxxx "from now on".

                                        I'm sure the same thing could happen back then .............. in fact I know it certainly did happen in the 1850s. I helped someone who had "lost" her family between the 1851 and 1861 censuses. I eventually discovered them living in a village about 50 miles away, same forenames but surname different. They were there for the next 2 censuses, then the father died, the children and their mother resumed the old surname and moved back to their "home" village.

                                        All I could think was that father had committed some crime and moved away!



                                        In your case, I assume that you have attempted to follow William John through to adulthood, marriage, etc to find out whether he was a different person?
                                        My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

                                        Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

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