Does anyone have evolving surnames?

[coombs]

I seem to find less common surnames have more variants so wildcard and Soundex options have to be used more often.

[Redroger]

That fits my experience with Luffman; possible reason unfamiliarity, both in written and verbal situations.

[Greenvale]

I'm fascinated by the way surnames evolve. .... I love this topic!

I don't think I would call it evolution exactly - more the result of often non-literate people trying to make sense of new arrivals in their locality.  There was a lot of migration in the early 19th century, especially towards towns, with those who had to write names down - clerics, census-takers - faced with the decision, and possibly a strange accent.  For example, is it Horton, Hawton, Wharton, Orton, Houghton, Haughton ?  Maybe there is a village somewhere nearby with a similar name, I'll use that.

I'm sure you are right. The Cattell side of my family have been recorded as Cattle, Kattle, Kettle, Kattel, Cattle. Obviously the same name but recorded as was heard in the local dialect by perhaps one of the few people in the location capable of reading and writing.

[healyjfch]

The surname Cass was recorded as Cas, Cash Casse, Cashin and Cashe.
Its a good thing that my direct ancestors stayed close to where they came from.

[ThrelfallYorky]

I rather liked the one where-quite seriously, one of my "Casson"s became a "Caffon" and stayed that way for ages! The "long S" has a lot to answere for when the transcribers aren't familiar with it.

[Mart 'n' Al]

My work on Loughborough has unearthed these variants.  As if sharing a surname with a town didn't cause emough problems.  (Aside:  The town arts festival is jokingly called Loogerberooger.)

Lickbara
Lickbarrow
Loftbarrow
Loveburrow
Loufbrough
Lufbrough
Loufborough
Loufbrough
Lownsbrough
Loughboro'
Lownsbrough
Lonsbrough

Martin

[Andrew Tarr]

One other example from the Lancashire parish I am transcribing - a family appeared in the early 1800s named Melladieu.  That name repeated unchanged for quite a while (I guess they may have told the recorder how to spell it, or possibly the cleric was well-versed) but a few decades later it was appearing as Mellody, much more English-looking.  Maybe the next generation felt less devoted to their roots.

[Mart 'n' Al]

Andrew, 'mel' in various forms (French, Latin, Greek) means 'honey'.  I wonder if the name is derived from 'Honey of God'.  I should add that Mildew has a similar origin, though.

Martin

[Mart 'n' Al]

I have often thought that as knowledge and education and communication increase, these confusions might end, but I am sure even modern computer spell-checkers will have new and amusing ways of mangling surnames.