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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: elin on Saturday 23 April 11 20:22 BST (UK)
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Ancestry have some wonderful new parish records for the Liverpool area.
I am confused by the Catholic confirmation records as the names of the parents don't seem to correspond to the children.
I am looking for John Merrigan who according to census records was born in Swansea abt 1861, although I have never found a birth record for him.
He later lived in Liverpool and could have been confirmed there, is it possible that he could have had a different birth name?
Am I right in thinking that a child would normally have been confirmed at around the age of 13?
I would be grateful for any help.
Thanks Elin
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Hi Elin,
I was looking at these too and for the one I was looking at, the 'father's name' on the Ancestry search turned out to be that of the godparent or sponsor. The column was headed 'nomina patrinorum' which means names of godparents. The image I looked at, the same chap had been godfather to the whole page of kids! So maybe he was the one who had been instructing them prior to confirmation.
(I didn't know the Latin, I looked it up ::) - useful crib sheet here!)
http://www.proni.gov.uk/general_information_series_-_latin_terminology_in_roman_catholic_church_registers.pdf
:) Barbara
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Hi Barbara,
Thanks that makes good sense! :) The crib sheet is very helpful too, I've been
finding it difficult finding my way through the Latin.
I've been on a roll, I've found a lot of really useful records! :D
Elin :)
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As far a I can remember I had my First Holy Communion by about age 7/8 (English Martyrs, Rodney Rd, SE17)
And confirmation about 10/11 (St. Wilfrids, Lorrimore Rd, SE17).
Both done before I went to secondary school at 11 (Sept. 1964)
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It used to be done when the Archbishop attended the area in question this could be 2 years after First Communion or could be even 5/6 years it depended on the visitation dates for that particular Archbishop.
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Hi Plummiegirl and Dancing Master,
Thank you very much for the information, it gives me a better idea of
the time frame that I should be searching. I wasn't aware that it was carried out by an Archbishop.
Is the saints name given on confirmation likely to be used? I am puzzled that I have never found a birth record and wonder if it could be under a different first name.
Thanks, Elin
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Hi,
it was carried out by the Bishop- I suppose if there was a handy Archbishop he may have confirmed too.
The saint's name is not usually used afterwards.
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Hi Heywood,
Thank you, I can stop worrying about the name being a factor then. I suppose doing all the confirmations in an area would have been an awful lot of work for one Archbishop.
Elin :)
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Elin,
do you have his father's name from his marriage certificate?
heywood
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I wonder if he was born in Ireland and arrived in Swansea as a young baby or was just not registered due to his parents arrival?
In fact - just checked and 1861 RG9; Piece: 4105; Folio: 65; Page: 10
has him born Ireland.
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Hi Heywood,
John's father's name was Michael and he was a slater, according to his marriage certificate. I have never found john Merrigan in 1861, I'm just going to check the census refs that you have given me.
Thank you so much for looking for me!
Elin
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Just so you know, the confirmation name is sometimes used.
My great grandfather was not born with a middle name but was married and later died with the middle name 'Patrick'.
His son, my grandfather, was not born with a middle name and never used his confirmation name.
His son, my father, was not born with a middle name but uses the middle name of James which he was confirmed with. He was married with this middle name and it appears on my birth certificate.
There seems to be no inital clarity on the situation as to why some people use it and other's don't.
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Hi Heywood,
I just checked the 1861 census, It doesn't look like it is the right John Merrigan as the father is wrong. :(
I always thought that Michael was probably from Ireland and that Swansea
was the first place that they came too, but I don't actually know that.
Thanks for your help,
Elin
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Hi OriginQuest,
Thank you for that, I will keep it in mind, he's a hard nut to crack!!
Elin
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Hi sorry about that - just realised when I read your first post.
Originquest,
that made me laugh as I know I said that they are not used (generally) but my sister who only had one baptism name, used to call herself by that and her confirmation name. It was never done officially but I think she used to like the sound of the two names. I had two baptism names so whether that affected her choice- who knows? ;D