Name Change

[Agatha R]

This is about my Great Great Grandmother Martha

1851 Census

John Daw 1811 Thursford Norfolk
Wife Mary Daw 1814 Great Bircham Norfolk

Children

James Daw 1837 Bagthorpe Norfolk
George Daw 1839 Bagthorpe Norfolk
Sarah Daw 1841 Bagthorpe norfolk
Harriot Daw 1843 Bagthorpe Norfolk
Robert Daw 1846 Bagthorpe Norfolk
Thomas Daw 1846 Bagthorpe Norfolk
Martha Daw 1851 Bagthorpe Norfolk = My Great Great Grandmother

In 1861 Census they have all changed their name to Gant and the mother is missing

When Martha married in 1873 for the first time to John Playford in Docking Norfolk she used the name Daw

Why would they change their name to Gant, maybe the mother disgraced them or one of the children, has anyone got any ideas.

Any help appreciated THANKYOU

[rosie99]

The 1861 where they are Gant the head of the house is Robert Gant, widower age 50 bn Thursford, Norfolk so neither parent is with them. Perhaps the enumerator has just assumed they are his children. 

I see that in 1891 Robert Gant is living with Martha and her husband and is described as father in law to her husband.  So what should the christian name of Martha's father be John (as in 1851) or Robert?

Rosie

[Yorkslass]

It gets stranger.

Looked at the baptisms for Daw children, on Family Search, but all those on your list Agatha R, are baptised by Robert and Mary Daw - (nee Stringer).  Then, as in the census, the name suddenly changes to Gant - in 1846 - image 8.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12318-190345-60?cc=1416598&wc=655776

Yorkslass

[Yorkslass]

Hi again,

Found a baptism for Mary Stringer, born, as she says, in Great Bircham - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12588-1196-97?cc=1416598&wc=657549

I couldn't find one for a Robert Daw in Thursford about the right time, but guess who I did find?

Robert Gant.  Baptised Thursford, 1810 - interestingly, the mother's maiden name is Day.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11547-63964-76?cc=1416598&wc=660882

Perhaps Robert just decided to be known by a different name - as far as I remember, people could be known by any name they chose, as long as the reason wasn't fraudulent or illegal.

Yorkslass

[Yorkslass]

Actually, Susan/Susannah was Doy, not Day.

Here's their marriage - Thomas' name is written as Gaunt. 

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11547-64303-23?cc=1416598&wc=660889

Yorkslass

[doreenh]

I have an Elizabeth Wakefield Doy b:4/9/1798  who appears to have married a John Gant when he was about 36. Also a Thomas Gant who married a Susanna DOY in 1801

 As Thursford was a small village, as it still is to-day I imagine that the families there did probably all know each other.
Another family name that has popped up on separate occasions is Chevery