Names and the sudden urges to confuse others!

[MagicMirror]

I have a 3x gt grandmother who changed her name from Bridget to Maria in her middle age.  I only know it's the same woman and not a 2nd wife, because she lived in Scotland so all the extra details on her & her husband's death certificates match the original person.

[Steve G]

 I too find this interchangeability, even apparent adoption of or being brought up by names completely removed from the given, birth name a real PITA at times.

 Lady on the left? Mary Elizabeth. aka " Polly ". Don't ask me how they managed That one!

 Uncle Fred was born Thomas. Uncle Bill was Roy. Uncle George still is Frederick, though I can't imagine he'd even turn round if ye called him Fred! Aunty Pip? God knows! I could go on and on.

Why? Why call a kid William, on his birth certificate, then call him Jacob, to his face for the rest of his life? I seriously wonder if half of them even knew their real names.

 Oh and Danuslave / Linda; Yeppers. Frank / Francis. I too have even just recently fallen foul of that one! 

[danuslave]

Hi Steve

Why call a kid William, on his birth certificate, then call him Jacob, to his face for the rest of his life

I wonder if some children just got named to please a grandparent (or the uncle with the money  ), but were then known as what the parents really wanted?

I think there are also instances of children 'renaming' themselves while they are little and it sticking for life.

Fortunately, the small girl I knew who called herself 'Bonk' grew out of it 

Linda

[Steve G]

PMSL! 

 Classic

[eadaoin]

My great aunt Ciss was Mary Ellen.

(God knows who Ciss Breslin was! I certainly don't!)

Polly (believe it or not) was a common pet name for Mary.

eadaoin

[mrspeel]

My Grandma, whose given name was Constance Mary, was Cissie as a child, Mary for at least 10 of her working years ( there was already a Constance at the factory) and Connie the rest of her life. Her mother, Mary Catherine, was known as Polly or Pol most of her life, except when she was sometimes called Cath.  My Grandfather on the other side was Cyril, but most people called him Sid.  I won't even get started on the lot that changed their first names for every census (there's a Scavenger Hunt in that one)... 

[danuslave]

What is a Scavenger Hunt??  I keep seeing them posted but don't really know what's involved.

Linda

[Pels.]

What is a Scavenger Hunt??  I keep seeing them posted but don't really know what's involved.

Hi Linda,

Here you go .. this should explain what you need to know :

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,358572.0.html

Kind regards,

Pels.

[danuslave]

Thanks Pels