Is the name Nell short for anything?

[millerina]

Jan,

Totally agree that ancestors like to be awkward! 
Perhaps Elizabeth is Nell then  , I'll have to see what I can find out about her!

millerina

[skb]

Nell could also be short for Eleanor

[millerina]

Thanks for the suggestion skb, sadly though I haven't been able to find any births in kent for an Eleanor, Helen or Helena Wraight.

millerina

[Little Nell]

According to the book on names that I have here, Ellen, Eleanor, Elaine, Eileen, Aileen, Eilidh, Elen as well as many other simiar names, are all variants of Helen.

Nell and Nellie are considered to be the pet forms of both Helen and Eleanor - and that's from one who ought to know 

Apparently Nell Gwynne - perhaps the most famous bearer of the name - was actually Elinor.

Nell

[millerina]

Thanks Nell!  I thought you would probably know!  That gives me some more names to look for now. 

millerina

[prozac]

Also names that have Ellen with them, like Mary Ellen, Sarah Ellen, Irene Ellen.

[karencaddy]

i have a nell in my family it was short for helen elizabeth, the end of one name and the beginning of another!
and then to confuse matters all members of that branch seem to use their middle names as christian names!

[millerina]

Many thanks for all the suggestions 

It seems that names (and ancestors!) can be very confusing things! 

millerina 

[artyclarty]

I have found Nellie Wraight on the births, marriages and deaths register.
Registered as NELLIE WRAIGHT born Faversham 1879 and registered in qtr july, aug sept 1879 GRO no 2a 811 so you should be able to apply for her birth cert. This is a really easy process thro the  GRO website and costs only £7 - takes about 3 weeks max usually to get cert back.