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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: jbml on Wednesday 18 September 13 15:58 BST (UK)
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In reverse order, my favourite ancestors' names are:
3. Ambrose Frost
2. Bartholomew Kennett
And ... wait for it ...
... drum roll ...
1. Nebuchadnezzar Ashbie
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Remembrance Ashford is one of mine as is Theophilus Lessey.
Going ridiculously way back Sven Forkbeard.
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I have a Raisley Wren (but only if my 2x great grandmothers husband turns out to be the father of my great grandmother ::) ), Gowland Pyburn and Melchisedeck Pascall.
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I found one while doing my daughter in law's tree yesterday which I'm rather partial to, and that is 'Phineas Fox'. Not outrageously different, but he sounds like a bit of a dandy to me.
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hadn't thought about it really but
theodosha Hodge
Christmas john
Arthur pendrey Hodge Davies
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and mine...
Providence Butt
Thankful Anthony
Theophilus Coveyduck
My spellcheck didn't like the last one ;D
Carol
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One I came across during a search, Ednott Wright .
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One I came across during a search, Ednott Wright .
LOL
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Mine are all ladies, Zipporah Garlick, Ziltan (known as Zittie for short) Blackledge and Zebuda Boyd, cb
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Doran54 it still makes me laugh even after years.
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Only the one for me, Keziah. Although on my other half's side Encrichetta Genoveffa Cresci and Maria Assumpta D'Ambrosio takes some beating I reckon!
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Here's mine:
1/ Aleida Akka Munninghof,
2/ Alpheus William Skinn,
3/ Mary Elizabeth Sharpe Ripon Spilsbury, (they liked lots of names) ;D
Frank.
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and mine...
1. Loveday Goninan
2. Blandina Walter
3. Nighten Jeffery
claire
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Miggy Hughes (birth registered in Scotland as Miggy) married as Michael in England
Elsie MLISS Routledge, born 1887, England. Name used in England 1887-1913. Probably named after "Mliss" a novel by Bret Harte, published 1873, in USA.
Admonition Drew, a female
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Only one for me - Captain Butler Kershaw.
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I only have two so far; Minnie Cooper and Frances Barnett.
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Not direct ancestors, but sticking to close relatives, my favourites are Great (x however many) Aunts and a 3rd cousin, a couple of times removed.
Eugenie Dudley
Theodotia Wolverson (later seems to have been known as Rhoda)
Dorinda May Cox
However, on the male side and reflecting my black-country roots, I have an Obadiah, several Enochs, (Great, x however many, Uncles) and an Eli (not very closely related at all).
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Just the one unusual one for me!
Ethelbert Chitty
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Phosphorus Stone
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I found one while doing my daughter in law's tree yesterday which I'm rather partial to, and that is 'Phineas Fox'. Not outrageously different, but he sounds like a bit of a dandy to me.
Are you by any chance looking at Folkestone - if so I think we may have a link.
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Phosporus married in Stepney 1866, could have been the Phosibris who died n 1897 (not an ancestor of mine though).
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Off the top of my head -
Joyce Ethelwynne Jennings-Temple (usually just Temple though)
William Attwooll Bennett (whosr son also the same name married Elizabeth Bennett Graves - becoming Elizabeth Bennett Bennett!)
John Warin Wilders Rose
Those are the first to spring to mind!
Toffee
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I have several generations of Francis Drake Waldron Wheatons in my tree!
Also a couple of Baron Beverleys
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Alas, not an ancestor of mine but I did know an Illinois Central J******. His father worked for the railroad. No doubt he's someone's ancestor by now.
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I have King Fisher and Queen Fisher.
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Willie Eckerslike, now there's a good Yorkshire name that sadly, is not t'be found in my family tree ;D
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My g/g/grandfather's 2nd wife - Caroline Easter Reffell.
Quite ordinary after some of the above - they made me smile as much as the "old sayings."
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I have King Fisher and Queen Fisher.
Oh great...love it...what a treat 8)
Carol
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king fisher and queen fisher , absolutely wonderful !
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Sadly most in my tree are pretty "normal" but I remember a name from the staff directory at work years ago who would be a great "relative" - his name was Bob Sherunkle!
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Nothing very unusual among mine, except for one - I felt as though I'd wandered into 'Lord of the Rings' territory when I found a 5th great grandfather "Matthew of Marishes Vasey" and his Dad "Thomas of Marishes Vasey". It was probably a way of distinguishing them from other Matt and Tom Vasey in the area; don't know whether they were actually baptised in that way though, info came from other trees.
Other than that, Catherine Smartfoot is best I can come up with.
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Loved reading these names - some had me laughing out loud! My own contributions are quite tame in comparison but I like them!
Mary Farey was my 3xgreat grandmother (always makes me laugh, especially when someone at a Family History Fair told me that there are 'a lot of Fareys in Northamptonshire' ;D ;D
And .... Parthenia Owen (how strange!) ::)
Janet
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Loved reading these names - some had me laughing out loud! My own contributions are quite tame in comparison but I like them!
Mary Farey was my 3xgreat grandmother (always makes me laugh, especially when someone at a Family History Fair told me that there are 'a lot of Fareys in Northamptonshire' ;D ;D
And .... Parthenia Owen (how strange!) ::)
Janet
Lots of Fareys in Northampton, eh? And I always thought they were at the bottom of the garden!!!!!
Everlea.
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3. Joan Shoe/Shoo/Shue 1500's (mainly because my aunt is called Joan and more than likes shoes).
2. Hercules Allen 1800's
1. Fanny Tidy 1700's
The top spot has caused much mirth amongst my friends (particularly my gay friends).
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3. Joan Shoe/Shoo/Shue 1500's (mainly because my aunt is called Joan and more than likes shoes).
2. Hercules Allen 1800's
1. Fanny Tidy 1700's
The top spot has caused much mirth amongst my friends (particularly my gay friends).
Brilliant!!!
Everlea.
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Bring back those old names I say! ;D
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Bring back those old names I say! ;D
I agree - but today they'd be harder to live with!
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Oh! LOL! that reminded me of a pairing I'd overlooked which fits here:
My paternal great grandmother, Fanny, married gt-grandfather John Thomas. ;D
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!
link=topic=661922.msg5083743#msg5083743 date=1380393672]
Oh! LOL! that reminded me of a pairing I'd overlooked which fits here:
My paternal great grandmother, Fanny, married gt-grandfather John Thomas. ;D
[/quote]
Oh no!!!! A match made in Heaven!!!!!
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I like your Parthenia, Janet. I have a (very distant) Parthenia and I've found a few others round my mum's area of Lancashire. What I can't work out is why they liked it especially as most of the parents couldn't even spell the name! I know it means maiden or virgin but why 19th century Lancastrians in the cotton industry were interested in Athena I can't imagine, claytonbradley
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Sorry about the state of last post - cat walked across keyboard!
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Seven generations of Benedicta
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3. Doris Devine (she sounds like a 40s film star)
2. Montague Kerley
but my winner, and favourite..................
1. Fanny Burns (ouch!)
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My grtgrandparents - Jabez and Hosetta Mellor.
Also,grtgrandfather's- brother- Damon Hill ( well before motor&racing cars, though!)
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Honky Hole
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Are we starting to make these up? ;D
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My great grand aunt married a Mr. GREY SWAN
.... was hoping for some inventive children names but alas they went for George, William, Harry etc.,
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Are we starting to make these up? ;D
I know mine are genuine - and I don't doubt the others!
My daughter and I both work in primary schools and were comparing notes on interesting/unusual/humorous names of children only last night. Unfortunately, as they are names of living people I can't divulge them, but trust me in a few years time there may be some family historians having a good chuckle ;) ;D
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The only unusual name in my tree is Athalia Conquest. Having Googled Athalia, it was an oratorio by Handel about the Queen consort of King Jehoram of Judah. I wonder how an ordinary working class couple came to give their daughter this name ??? She was their eldest child and her siblings all had the usual names of William, Thomas, Mary, Elizabeth, etc.
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Too many to list - I have Fanny Adams and Fanny Fuell plus her sister Philadelphia Fuell. Not to mention Agrippa Small, Aquila Wallet and several Hepzibahs and Keziahs and we won't even start on the Penduck side of the family!
Seems that the non-conformists were non-conformist in more than religion! Old Phineas Fox and his son Phineas Frederick Fox listed above sort of paled into insignificance in their company.
Having worked in a school I know what mrs tenacious means about kids names - some parents simply don't seem to engage brain when deciding what to call their poor offspring. I am wondering when we go from double-barrel to triple barrel surnames as a regular occurrence.
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I know exactly what you mean ggrocott with names and brains. My daughter teaches and tells me some just make her head spin added to which the number of kids with different names to brothers, sisters, Mums and Dads. Confused? She certainly is especially when it comes to those parents evenings.
We know where they get them from but why Cherokee alongside a Cheyenne with Shannon in between? Sky was another one that seems to have waned a bit now, thankfully. Mind you, I looked up my own name a while back and in seems to mean either gravel pit or a hole in the ground - so perhaps I'd best keep schtum!
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I have an ancestor, Fanny Clayfield who married Enos Dyer. Also his mothers name was Honor Willy.
I also have a Spottiswoode Montgomerie.
These have all made me chuckle a bit ;D
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No doubt someone will correct me on the spelling but I remember a while back on "The Chase" Bradley asked a question on a (I think German lady) named Schmely Fanny.
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'Fanny Crust' seems to cause some hilarity particularly with my American cousins and, to make things worse, I have 2 of them in my tree. One was my gg-grandfather's younger sister.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fanny%20crust
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A diminutive of Frances as we know, just as well we do not hear the same from names such as Richard although who remembers that wonderful man Dickie Bird.... even though his first name was Harold!
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A diminutive of Frances as we know, just as well we do not hear the same from names such as Richard although who remembers that wonderful man Dickie Bird.... even though his first name was Harold!
Certainly a diminutive as you say, but both mine were registered as Fanny.
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A diminutive of Frances as we know, just as well we do not hear the same from names such as Richard although who remembers that wonderful man Dickie Bird.... even though his first name was Harold!
Certainly a diminutive as you say, but both mine were registered as Fanny.
Ah right, never knew that but of course if you have found it in your research it must have been.
Off to kick myself in the derrière :D
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Not an ancestor but the vicar performing the baptism
Rev T Shurt
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Not an ancestor but the vicar performing the baptism
Rev T Shurt
;D
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Sadly most in my tree are pretty "normal" but I remember a name from the staff directory at work years ago who would be a great "relative" - his name was Bob Sherunkle!
I think that one was probably a spurious entry introduced by a mischievous staff directory compiler (who was probably bored out of his or her mind at the time ... )
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If anyone wants to see lots of funny/interesting/unusual names, there is a paperback book called "Potty, Fartwell & Knob - Extraordinary but True Names of British People".
It was a Xmas gift a couple of years ago and I often dip into - I find it informative, interesting and very funny. The name are mainly from the 19th century or earlier, many were found in census records and parish records (the sources are shown).
Some names contain words that some may find rude or offensive. It just shows how some words have changed over the years and have different meanings or interpretations nowadays.
Well worth a look if you're interested in this subject though.
Malcolm
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I've just found a burial in Uckfield, Sussex in 1780 for a Napkin Martin ;D
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Not too unusual, but I have always liked Ferdinando Dowdeswell.
And my great grandfather's name always seems to roll off of the tongue: Erik Magnus Lundquist.
And for sheer tongue-twisting ability, my great-uncle's wife: Matilda Augusta Bertha Wurfel. Just say it out loud a couple of times and see what I mean.
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Saw this the other day, Onesphorous Power. Is it cheaper than gas? ( sorry,irresistable). Two of mine, Cutting Noyes. Also one with a first name of Colddough.
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Sadly most in my tree are pretty "normal" but I remember a name from the staff directory at work years ago who would be a great "relative" - his name was Bob Sherunkle!
I think that one was probably a spurious entry introduced by a mischievous staff directory compiler (who was probably bored out of his or her mind at the time ... )
Errrrrr .............. definitely not 'spurious' and probably still living. I know someone who's met him.
Carol
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I was pleased to find these in my tree - Marsden Portice & his wife Charity Woodruffe.
Another relative was named Artemisa, born in 1877.
There a few Euphemia women too, a nice soft name.
I saw a headstone for Philander Thrasher.
Not a name to live up to these days.
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A newly discovered ancestor ....Lydia Coffin !
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I have a Knighton Burton (Which has to be said in a thick Northamptonshire accent) and his sister Zilpah
and numerous generations of Anguish Lakes
Dave
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I will always have a soft spot for Septimus Hine... it sounds like something you'd go to a doctor for.
I also have the brothers Brown- Nehemiah and Zephaniah.
One thing I was quite astounded to come across, although sadly not a relative of mine, was a census entry for Mahershalalhashbaz Tobbell lol
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lol Ayashi that's a mouthful.
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Indeed! When I first saw it, I had to check to see if it was real and then looked it up! Unsurprisingly, the poor child is on the next census as "Mashek" lol
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It seems quite tame compared with some of the above, but my soft spot is reserved for the sister of one of my ancestors, who was called Melesina Tidd.
There have never been many Melesinas around and I wonder where the family got the name (the other siblings were Emma, Cisely and Albert so nothing too dramatic!)
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Mashek must have been one relieved child lol. Must have dreaded being asked to spell the name.
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A great uncle was named septimus. One of my son in law's great uncles was an octavius and another great great was a decima. We also had the surname coffin marry into the family. Her first name was Louisa.
A great sense of hum our or unable to think of any more names?
Sandra
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A relatively (no pun intended) unspectacular name, but my husband's grandmother's surname was Mandall-Hall. Given that they were all farm labourers, I was very puzzled as to how they came by a double-barrelled surname. Had to go quite a way back to find out how, and also found that they were once quite wealthy!
I think my great-grandmother's name, Keziah Pratley, was pretty good. I was expecting our first child when a great aunt told me about her mother's name. Keziah wasn't a name we were likely to encumber our unborn child with.
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On consideration I have decided that I like keziah! Sandra
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Doesn't seem to bad to me now, but it did 33 years ago. ;) Not sure our daughter would have been impressed. No, change that. I know she wouldn't have been impressed!
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Tristram Crocker
Gideon Gallisworthy
Herbena Lavinia Parsons
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Good solid yeoman types were they Darwin
Sandra
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Yes & they're all from Devon - the men were C17th/C18th farm labourers & Herbena's mother was a lacemaker (Honiton Lace) like almost all the women in their village.
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There is a Septimus Satterthwaite in my family tree. Lancelot is a very frequently occurring Christian name.
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I've only one candidate:-
Haveria Glendonwyn Isherwood. She was easy to spot through the census records.
Maggie
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That's a delightful name, Maggie. I always felt rather drawn to young Britannia Potkins, who is in my late husband's tree. She was easy to trace too.
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Herbena Lavender.. Is very herbal if you consider the similarity to verbena. One imagines a flowery cottage garden with mother rocking the cradle and making her lace in the garden on a summers day. I wonder if it was really like that.
Parsons.....one wonders where that name came from.
Sandra
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What a wonderfully fragrant name Sandra.
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Herbena Lavender.. Is very herbal if you consider the similarity to verbena. One imagines a flowery cottage garden with mother rocking the cradle and making her lace in the garden on a summers day. I wonder if it was really like that.
I think some days it might have been - this is where Herbena & her family lived!
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u126/riaview/DevonEastBudleighVillageandChurch_zpsb57a786e.jpg)
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My ancestors actually lived in Honiton, and some of the women were lacemakers. The men, publicans and maltsters.