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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Sueinfy on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:07 BST (UK)

Title: George's surname ??
Post by: Sueinfy on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:07 BST (UK)
I am having trouble with the surname, hope someone can help
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: goldie61 on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:09 BST (UK)
ffrissell

Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: josey on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:12 BST (UK)
I agree but think it will be Frissell
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: Greensleeves on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:18 BST (UK)
I'd say ffrissell.  What a wonderful name!
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: GR2 on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:19 BST (UK)
What looks like ff is a capital F. Both goldie61 and josey are correct, as it is common to transcribe it as ff to show the form in the original.

Some people of this name retained it, although in most cases it develops into Fraser.
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: goldie61 on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:21 BST (UK)
Quote from: josey on Wednesday 22 July 20 22:12 BST (UK)
I agree but think it will be Frissell

You could go either way.
At one time, the convention was to change the 'double f' into F, but recently I note it's being transcribed as the 'ff'.
So as ever, a range of spellings needs to be done when researching - as with any name.
I've also seen 'Frissell' spelt with a 'z' -  'Frizell'.......

Added - Snap GR2! Crossed posts
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: Sueinfy on Saturday 25 July 20 22:19 BST (UK)
Thanks all for your suggestions, and I agree it would be wonderful to have the family name of Frizell. However after much work it turns out that the name is Hursell
Thanks everso
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: horselydown86 on Sunday 26 July 20 05:42 BST (UK)
Sueinfy, I guarantee that what is in your clip is not Hursell/Hurssell.

Leave the initial letter of the surname aside for a moment.  Please look at the r in George and the first lower-case letter of the surname.

They are the same letter (albeit the one in the surname is slightly wider); and are typical of what a well-trained and disciplined writer (as this one is) would use in the C17th or C18th.

So even if the initial letter of the surname were an H, that would make it Hrissell.

It's your choice where you take this.

You can post a larger selection of text from this document and we can look for an H or two to compare.

You can post a clip from whatever source you have which suggests it is Hursell, and (assuming it is original) we can look into the handwriting of that document.

Or you can chase your ancestry down a blind alley with Hursell.
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: goldie61 on Sunday 26 July 20 07:27 BST (UK)
Quote from: Sueinfy on Saturday 25 July 20 22:19 BST (UK)
Thanks all for your suggestions, and I agree it would be wonderful to have the family name of Frizell. However after much work it turns out that the name is Hursell
Thanks everso

I don't know where you have got the information from that this is 'Hursell', but the signature you have provided for transcribing cannot be 'Hursell'.
Any person with knowledge of writing at this time, would know that the first 2 letters are long 'f's - the letter 'H' was not written like this at all. Then the next letter is an 'r', then what could possibly be mistaken as a modern 'r' is an 'i' - you can even just make out the 'dot' of it above it and a little further on.
Perhaps this signature was not that of your ancestor.
If this signature is that of your ancestor, I would strongly suggest you review your decision.
Title: Re: George's surname ??
Post by: trish1120 on Sunday 26 July 20 14:37 BST (UK)
Just bookmarking as find this one interesting :)