Germans in London

[jimbo50]

Quote from Aghadowey, 'and it may be some people that listed their birthplace as 'Germany' in 1911 but as some place else in 1921'
Yes, I only know Saxe-Coburg ended in 1918. Did people put Place of Birth before then as Belgium,Germany, or Saxe-Coburg. Did they not then become born in Belgium or Germany so increasing the numbers ? I've never found any so I have no idea what might have happened.
I know Queen Victoria's grandson was a Nazi politician and German General, quite a mess. His inheritance in Esher Surrey was confiscated by HM Government.

[Wexflyer]

Hessians
Palatinates
Hanoverians

[Siely]

Some fantastic responses above.

German hospital in Dalston, Queen Victoria family, .. these things matter to ordinary people whose London families were subject to their social influences.

I had no idea at all about any of this when starting my FH , frightening when you think about it !

[MollyC]

A really interesting thread.  I don't think it has been mentioned that the British royal family changed surname during the 1st WW from Saxe-Coburg Gotha to Windsor.

[rogerb]

I have a strand of Germans who came to London in the early 19th century - predominantly sugar bakers from Hanover.

A couple of things I noticed was that for about 2 generations they only seemed to marry other Germans and seemed to retain the German naming customs.  It probably took until the 3rd generation before they began to marry outside of their community and gradually move away from sugar baking.

Another thing was that one particular branch of the family Anglicised their surname around 1880.

Roger

[Gan Yam]

The 1921 census came less than 3 years after the end of WW1, possibly people were less willing to acknowledge their German/Austrian/Hungarian heritage due animosity that may have been felt towards them because of the war. The Royal Family changed its name to become more British, so not impossible that ordinary Germans felt the same.

My aunt married in 1933 and her new husband had a German grandmother. I remember my mother telling me that "his mother was German, but she was a lovely person".  Thinking about it now, this almost sounds as if it needed to be justified, especially as his mother was British born and her father was English, only his granny was German. Its a small town, and everybody would know everybody!

[Siely]

My own understanding of German/Prussian influences in 18/19/early 20th Cen. has improved . Been reading about Queen Victoria travelling to her beloved Scotland by train.

[coombs]

I have French Huguenot ancestry, one surname is Auber, and one website said it is also a German name. I have no known German blood but one Essex ancestor's sister wed a German man in London in 1839.

Also I wonder how many Germans in London came from what was then Prussia? I have read about Germans who Polanized their surnames and vice versa over the centuries.

[Siely]

I have French Huguenot ancestry, one surname is Auber, and one website said it is also a German name. I have no known German blood but one Essex ancestor's sister wed a German man in London in 1839.

Also I wonder how many Germans in London came from what was then Prussia? I have read about Germans who Polanized their surnames and vice versa over the centuries.

I've also had a frustrating time with ordinary economic migration , big military refugee movements are usually very well described, but other migratory motives are much harder to get a handle on. e.g. the demise of the East India Company and subsequent redundant sailors / dock workers  played a part in my FH.  Military history certainly dominates.