Find Ancestors

Can anyone help? My grandfather Griffith Evans appears in the1901 and the 1911 census's- no problem here. However, his place of birth is unknown and I cannot find him or at least I cannot be sure I have found him. Any suggestions for approaching this from other angles. Any advice appreciated as I appear to be at a dead end. He has his father down as William on his marriage cert but none of the Griffith Evans's born in the year 1878 or thereabouts match this. confused!

As you have only found him as an adult, I suggest he may be using a different first name. Is there a chance he was called William Griffith Evans, being called Griffith to differentiate him from his father?

Can you tell us where he was living in 1901 and we may be able to help?

Ozi

Update: For example

Births Dec 1877
Evans William Griffith Pontypridd 11a 383

OR

Births Dec 1878
EVANS William Griffith Pwllheli 11b 432

OR

Births Mar 1879
Evans William Griffith W. Derby 8b 261

can you let us know census details so we know which one he is please?

Please can you give us the 1911 or 1901 census that you think is him?

Name: Griffith Evans
Age: 10
Estimated birth year: abt 1881
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Willm
Mother's Name: Jane
Gender: Male
Where born: Stockton, Durham, England

Civil parish: Stockton On Tees
Ecclesiastical parish: St James
County/Island: Durham
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Stockton
Sub-registration district: Stockton
ED, institution, or vessel: 39
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Willm Evans 40
Jane Evans 37
Jno Evans 19
George Evans 18
Wm Hy Evans 16
Margt A Evans 14
Mary J Evans 12
Griffith Evans 10 <<<<<<griffith...
Richard Evans 7
James Evans 5
Lizzie Evans 2

Oooo,thats for sure then,we want a census to go on !!!

Starr,
how do you know thats him??if his birth place is UNKNOWN??

Also the father Williams occupation has not been given,,which would help .

There are these Griffiths born about 1878 with father William.

Griffith Evans William, Jimaima abt 1877 Penrhyndaedraeth, Merionethshire, Wales Son Llanfihangel Y Traethau, Merionethshire
Griffith Evans William, Mary abt 1877 Llanddeiniolen, Caernarvonshire, Wales Son Llanddeiniolen, Caernarvonshire
Griffith E. Evans William, Mary abt 1878 Ffestiniog, Merionethshire, Wales Son Ystradyfodwg, Glamorgan
Griffith Evans William, Eliza abt 1879 Llanarthney, Carmarthenshire, Wales Son Llanarthney, Carmarthenshire
Griffith Evans William, Margaret abt 1879 Llanelidan, Denbighshire, Wales Son Gwyddelwern, Merionethshire

As Ken said he couldn't find him I'd say they're not him.

Ozi

Have sent Ken a pm and asked him to come back to his thread

Ken to answer these questions, click the reply button at the top of the thread and write a reply like anybody else.

PLEASE, PLEASE do not send us a private message as you can see there are a few people willing to help you out.

Ozi.

Normally when it states on census that place of birth is unknown it means they were a foundling,and if a father is given on the marriage cert then he has been made up for respectability,and he is normally recorded as deceased.

But in this case until a reply is given from the poster then it is all "up int air"

Hi Everybody!
Many thanks for all your replies – I did not expect it, especially as I am new to this! THANK YOU ALL.
Any way, Griffith Evans is my great grandfather, not grandfather as I said. I have him living in no. 18 Dinas Road, Ystradyfodwg in 1911. I know it is my great grandfather because he is married to Florence, whose name I knew and also his daughter is Phyllis May who I remember. His place of birth is unknown which I thought was a little strange.
I next found him on the 1901 census married to Florence and living with his in laws at no. 67 Dinas Road, Ystradyfodwg. His in laws were Lewis’s.
Next step was to find his marriage certificate so I could find his father’s name. I struggled to find the certificate as it transpired that they were married two years after the birth of their first child, Phyllis, who was born in 1898. This must have been somewhat unusual for the time.
They were married in 1900. On the marriage cert it said his father’s name was William. The address on the marriage cert for Griffith was 45 High Street, Ystradyfodwg. I searched for this address on the 1901 census(which was about 11 months later) and there were three High streets. On the third one I found a William Evans who was a boarder there! Too much of a coincidence I thought but William was only 37 which would have made him 36 when Griffith got married. So was he Griffiths father? Would have been very young, 15 or possibly 16! This William was down as being born in Merthyr around 1864. My problem is I cannot find a Griffith in the area with a father called William.
All sorts of ideas have been going around my head. Was Griffith brought up by his grandparents and he thought William was his brother? If so, when did he realise that William was his father. Why can’t I find a birth certificate for him in the Merthyr or Ystradyfodwg areas? Perhaps he was not registered? How can I ever find out who his mother was and also his siblings?
I’m really, really stuck. Can I approach this from another angle?
All or any help will be more than graciously accepted!!!
If you think you can help please let me know.
Many thanks,
Ken.
Ps I forgot to say that he said his father, William, was a collier. This is the trade of the William who lived at 45 High Street one year after his marriage.
Can you tell me what a foundling is?

From the freedictionary online.

A deserted or abandoned child of unknown parentage

********************************************************************
My understanding of it,plus..
A foundling is normally a child that was left on workhouse / church steps ,or handed in as mother was normally unmarried,disgraced and unable to support a child.

The father would of course carry no stigma as he was only seen to be "sowing wild oats"! and after having talked the poor lass into it would then up and leave to marry a nice respectable "virginal"lady.
Or of course the mother could have been a servant and expected to do extra duties for the master and or masters son ,then be thrown out on her ear with no reference when seen to have become a "fallen "woman.

That of course is only a few senarios....


Many people back then made up fathers and their occupations to put on their marriage certs,often with father listed as "deceased"so no one could question things, to be seen as respectable,ilegitimacy of course carried a shamefulness with it.


But all this about your man is of course all wild theory at the moment..

viv

1911 for ref...

EVANS, Griffith Head Married M 32 1879 Hairdresser Glam
EVANS, Florence Wife Married
11 years F 31 1880 Glamorgan
EVANS, Phyllis May Daughter Single F 13 1898 Glamorgan
EVANS, Violet Maud Daughter Single F 10 1901 Glamorgan
EVANS, Evan William Son Single M 5 1906 Glamorgan
EVANS, Arthur Gwyn Son Single M 3 1908 Glamorgan


****************************************************

1901 Wales Census
about Griffith Evans
Name: Griffith Evans
Age in 1901: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1879
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Florence
Gender: Male
Where born: N

Civil parish: Ystradyfodwg
Ecclesiastical parish: Llantrisant
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales

Wow, you really have a way with words and a fantastic imagination!!
I may just give up on this one and make up my own story.
Seriously, William was not down as deceased and also as I said there was a William living at 45 High Street less that one year after the marriage of Griffith, at which he gave 45 High street as his address.
If only I could get a name for my great grandmother, i think i might be happy to stop there.
Ken.

How do you get this info so fast?!
I'm amazed.
Takes me hours.
Ken

Also how do you get it on the screen as it looks like youve not typed it in!
I getting more confused by second. Getting hang of these replies though! More fun than searching for family tree!

Info is put on here by ...cut and paste..I will instruct on how to do it sometime tomorrow if you dont know how ,thats if you wish to know,too tired now.

Info found fast sometimes,others not,you have a more unusual name in Phyllis may ,so I looked for her,even though you gave no birth year for her...
I will look into your problem tomorrow,as I am sure will others on here too.


There is one pretty good rule to go by on this site though if you do want help as much as we all can give...
Please do not start another thread on this subject as info is all here to work with.

Must away to my bed .

viv

I think you're jumping the gun with connecting William Evans in the 1901 to your Griffith Evans.

Evans has to be about the most popular surname in that part of Wales. William Evans may not be related at all. Or he might be a cousin, elder brother, etc.

Also, who wasn't a collier in south Wales at that time, especially in the Pontypridd district?

OK, OK, so your Griffith was a hairdresser, but you know what I mean. :-)

Ozi

Hi Ken

Which of Griffith and Florences Children is your grandparent ? And have you got your Grandparents Marriage certificate to comfirm that Griffith was the father of the Bride/groom ?

All the best
Barbara