Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone A line in my family tree changed their surname at some point during the 1890s. I have found them on 1891 census with one surname and a different one on the 1901 census - they are definitely the same family as the parents & childrens names, dates & places of birth all tally. A relative also vaguely recollected something about a name change, but she had no details but for what the names were. Please can someone tell me how/where can I find more details on this. Has anyone come across it in their family? Grateful for any help. Angela

I don't think they had to do anything official to change their name. Anyone can call themselves anything they want as long as its not for fraudulent purposes. I have two families who changed their name over the years

Thanks Lou, How on earth do you find people if you're not aware they changed their name - unless someone had a very unusual christian name! Makes it very difficult, if not impossible! Angela

Angela My husband's family are a case in point. His great grandfather Charles Albert Carter was born 13 January 1866. Charles applied for his own birth cert in 1836 but the GRO couldn't find it. He has 3 different birthplaces on 3 different censuses! I tried to find the Carter family in 1861 with Charles' father James, hoping it would provide a clue as to which birthplace was most likely. Nothing. So I asked people on GR to help and Fiona Colgan found a family with the right names, age gaps with children, father's occupation, etc EXCEPT that the family was called McCarthy, not Carter. What clinched it (as the names were all common) was that the 3rd child Richard was on the census as blind. I knew from the family tree my husband's cousin had done, that Richard was blind. Using McCarthy as the surname I found Charles Albert Carter's birth certificate, which gives his father as Dennis McCarthy! Using that info I found a marriage between Dennis McCarthy and Charles' mother, Elizabeth. It gave Dennis' father as Callaghan McCarthy, whom I am still trying to trace. BUT I found that one of Dennis/James daughters married as Eliza McCarthy, so she kept her original name. Richard also stayed McCarthy but on the 1901 census he is neighbours with Elizabeth and James Carter, his parents! nell

Helen, It's mind-boggling isn't it? I suspect that my relative's brothers kept the original name, judging by the census returns, although I'm not sure at this stage that I've got all the right people. I'll just have to keep ploughing on! Thanks. Angela

Thanks Alan, but I believe my family deliberately changed their name. By the way, how was Rookwood mistaken for Railway Nut? LOL. Angela

Angela Here is one possible explanation. (I am assuming yours didnt change their name from Baggins to Beggins????LOL) My Holdens - the VERY posh ones - ran out of sons and male heirs in about 1919. Their eldest daughter had married a Greenwood. She successfully applied to the High Court AND to the Court of Heralds, to change her family name to Holden, and for permission to be the bearer of the Holden Coat of Arms.The male line failed yet again and I am not sure who holds the Holden Arms now. On a more prosaic note, sometimes someone discovered as an adult that they were illegitimate and changed their name to that of their 'real' father, particularly if they didnt like their stepfather. Or an elderly unmarried Aunt or Uncle would promish to leave them all their dosh, if they would change their name 'so the family name wouldnt be lost'. A friend of mine married an only child, a girl, and as her father was rich, my friend took her name. Sometimes though, they just changed their name so they wouldn't be caught! Olde Crone

Just an interesting point - in Devon a lot of Beers became Beares because of the religious/alcohol aspect!

Thanks for that, Old Crone. I suspect that your last suggestion is the one that most likely applies to my lot! I suppose I'll never know for sure. Angela

Heather, now you mention it, I think that my family's name change may have had something to do with religion. However, it was from Moss to Mist, so it's not as obvious as the Beers. Angela

Worth having a google? Looking for changes in Devon surnames??

Hi Heather Actually, the family came from Lambeth/Battersea in London, I'm an escapee from that part of the world! However, your suggestion is worth a try. Thanks. Angela

Oh right - well I guess there is a vague possibility that Moss was a Jewish name?

Just had a quick google on the origins of the name 'Moss': MOSS Gender: Masculine Usage: English, Jewish Extra Info: Related Names Options: Contribute Information, Add to List Medieval form of MOSES Not wishing to stereotype, but what were their occupations? And I guess we arent just looking at a bad transcription are we?

Hi Angela, I too have a name change in my family. There is some secret/scandal however concerning these members of my tree, and I am not getting any nearer to finding it out! Our relatives don't like to make things easy for us do they! Lea x

Heather I'm going to have a go at following up on your suggestion. No definitely not a mistranscription - although I have come across some really bad ones! Thanks for your help - much appreciated. Angela