RootsChat.Com
Some Special Interests => Travelling People => Topic started by: wildgoose on Monday 25 June 07 21:38 BST (UK)
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could anyone confirm that FISHER & NICHOLS are Gypsy surnames ???
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Don't know, but there's a Romany & Traveller Family History site here that might be interesting:
http://website.lineone.net/~rtfhs/contents.html
Barbara
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cheers ;D
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Hiya
I can definitely confirm FISHER is a gypsy name as know of some.
Regards
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thanks for confirming that ;D
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Anyone come across the WIDDOH surname ???
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hello
I can see Widdoh marriages 1850s in Yorkshire
Pam
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Thanks ;D
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Hi Wildgoose
My mum's maiden name is Nicholls. Her grandfather Charlie could speak Romany; he worked at the brickfields near Sittingbourne, they had a site that the gypsies were allowed to use for a couple of weeks, and it was his job to move them on 'cos he could speak the language. He also had Romany symbols carved into his gateposts. According to a list on Romany Routes, Nicholls was a gypsy surname ... so the evidence is quite persuasive ...
Liz
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Many thanks for the reply. All I know is that my Joseph FISHER was a sailor, son of Joseph (a waterman) died in 1850 in Wakefield, WRY. He married an Eliza NICHOLS in 1845.
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Hi Liz,
Yes I am a member of GenesReunited too and think we have 'chatted' there before. It was very interesting to know about Isabel's brother Charlie speaking a Romany language. My great grandma Isabel Jane Nicholls told me we had Romany roots when I was a child but when I told my father this a few years ago when we were working on the tree he didnt know anything about it. Dad died a few years ago and there is no one left to ask. I dont think Great Gran would have told many people as she had married 'quite well' and unlike us who find this a fascinating connection in their day they were very snobby. I saw that someone wrote a book on the Kite family but I have not mananged to find a copy yet. I think our connection may be through the Kites with a forename like Hezekiah? I have photos of Abraham Nicholls &Mary nee Spice and I have put them on Genes Reunited. Are you still a member?
I will try to see if I can add a photo here too.
Cousin Isabelle
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im trying to confirm possible romany connections in my family tree,and was intrested to see the names Nicholls and Fisher mentioned as i have both of these names mentioned in my tree.My family was very big and was mostly concentrated in faversham/ospringe area of kent,and spread over a radius of about 20 miles all around during the 1800s.They mostly worked in the brickfields as brickmoulders,sorters,carriers,cement yard workers,coal labourers,coke and charchoal burners and gunpowder mill labourers.As some of this work was seasonal,they also worked as tinmen,basket makers and general labourers.Many of them were described on the census as horsekeepers.One ggguncle was a costermonger/brickfield worker who had 22 children,which was quite unusual even then.As well as these names,i also have the names smith,harris,stone,jarrett,chambers,epps from sittingbourne,faversham and ashford,wells ayres and beaney,all these names ive heard mentioned in discussions about romany roots.Many of these ancesters used variations of the same name;my own surname was different pre-1880,as my ggggfather jesse started using his wifes name.My surname is one that ive rarely heard in british romany families,although its a very common jewish/german name.Ive found no direct evidence of caravan/tent dwelling,although many of them lived and sadly died in the workhouse,but i do wonder about some of my ancesters pre-1840.i should add that a lot of the family seem very conventional,though not one white collar worker.Sorry ive gone on a bit,but would appreciate any thoughts on this.thanks.