Gypsies in the family?

[Charoline]

Hello I'm Charoline and I am new here. I hope its okay if I ask you a few questions. I hope everyone is okay with me using the term "gypsy" - I know it can be offensive to some and it is really not meant that way.

Ever since I was a little girl my mother has said that there are Gypsies in the family. Nothing was ever really proven, (apart from dark foreign looks and the fact that my great-great Grandfather was referred to as "the Gypsy") until recently when my Uncle did a family tree. Some of the surnames I have found are:

Sanders, Pook, Biddle, Baggaley, Mayall, Johnson, Smith, Powell, Eaton, Jackson

The Sanders in particular came from Birmingham - they where coopers, wood engravers, sheet metal workers, agricultural labourers and lived in and around the Handsworth\Smetwick area - however no-one has been classed as tent\van dweller (so far at least) and my mother still works with horses (and as a horse trader), which are animals that have been in the family for centuries.

The Jacksons appeared to have been Blacksmiths and one of them rotated between the north and the midlands. Others appeared three times on a census in one year (classed as lodger\boarder).
I thought I'd share my story with everyone and hope that someone can enlighten me as to whether I have a case or whether my family is simply deluded about their origins.

[Romany Knaves]

Hello Charoline.
Not all Gypsy Folk Romany or otherwise always lived in Vardo's,Wardo's or Tents at all time's, some lived in houses and others never moved or would travel that far,regions used their own terms for Gypsy People such as Sojourner,Bargee,Journeyman,Char Woman,Tinker Etc or just plain Ag Lab, surname's do help in finding those lost relatives my Ancestors in Essex/Suffolk had been hard to find but cross reference is a must, in Sussex/Kent my Ancestors had been easy to discover along with family history that I had uncovered as my Romany History had been buried I do not know your surnames, Smith is an Adopted Gypsy surname, skin colour is not always a sign of being a Gypsy either nor hair colour,keep searching if you have an idea you may have Gypsy History this is a good site to start as other member's will have more knowlage than I do and every little helps good luck in your quest.

[Romany Knaves]

Hi again Charoline.

Found these people in my note's they are all recorded as Gypsy,Traveller,Stranger or Vagabond. they may be to early not sure how far you are back in time.

Johnson Surname.
Richard baptised at Knighton 1708.
Elizebeth buried at Little Bowden 1715.
John baptised at Loughborough 1726.
Elizebeth buried at Rothley 1758.

Jackson Surname.
Joseph baptised at Exton 1695.
Elizebeth buried at Enderby 1720.
Nelie buried Coalville 1916.

[Charoline]

Hiya 

Its roughly round about that time - the Jacksons, the Sanders and the Eatons are hard to trace - the Jackson line mingles with the Haywoods and they came from Londonderry.

Many thanks for the dates but sadly they don't match up Many MANY thanks though x x