Genealogy Chat

Hi My Husband has recently found out that, either after WW1 or 2 his family may have changed their name!! Is there any way I can find out, if it was changed, what it was exactly? and when it would have been changed for certain? I won't be able to add his family to the tree otherwise!!! HELP regards Val

Val I've nudged a thread up from yesterday about the same subject Lou

Yes, Im sure you can find out by looking out some of the certs for the family before they changed. Good luck.

Thanks Lou and Heather, As yet we have no certificates, when we get his Fathers parents marriage cert, it will probably show their parents name as it is now, so if you don't know the name how CAN you find something. I seem to be plagued with family problems!!!!!!!! HELP PLEASE AGAIN!!!!!!! Val

Hi Val What about doing searches on other sites, using the christian names, as has been suggested on this site previously? I can say, from experience, that this can come up trumps. Good luck. Patricia

Hi Patricia Do you actually mean I can put a christian name down (even tho I don't even have an area where from) on something like 1837online. and it could help? hopefully!!! Val

Not on 1837 I would have thought, but if you know the christian names of other family members, then maybe a census. Depends on what years you're dealing with. There's a thread somewhere on here about 'looking outside the box' and lots of people have tried it. I'm sure some of the other helpful souls on here will point you in the right direction, but you could do a search at the top of the page. Let us know how you get on. Patricia

Thanks Patricia will give it a try!!! Val

Val Have you considered letting us know what names etc, so that some of us could look for you? I haven't got Ancestry yet, but could look on other sites if you give me something to go on. Patricia

Val Now look on Tips page: Searching outside the box; I've nudged it for you. Hope it helps, but let us all know who you're looking for. Patricia

Hello Patricia The surname now is Stanfield, but it could be something like Stanislowski Stanslowski.Stanislau even! my hubbies mother wasn't too sure exactly what it was!!!! Not an easy project for anyone Val

Thanks Patricia Found your nudge!! will print out list of suggestions and read!! see what I can do!!! many thanks again Val

It sounds as though the family may have been Polish and anglicised the name after WW2. If you can find a birth certificate just after the war which gives the address then you may be able to trace the family name through the electors roll. Chances are they were living at the same address when they changed their name - so you may find the before and after surnames - possibly.

Thanks Julie I shall have to keep trying!!! at the moment, to no avail!!! its such a disapointment, when you think youve tried everything to find a family, then youre hit by a bombshell!! regards Val

My family changed there names after WW1 so they could join up for WW2 they were Italian descendants so simply Anglosised there surname, it ended up as 4 brothers wih 4 different versions of a similar surname. However there is a record of this up at the records office in Kew. Another thought for you is to try any Polish Expat societys in the area your looking in? Louise

Hi Louise Thanks for your help! please can you tell me! will I find ex pats societies on Google? sorry to sound thick!!! regards Val