Genealogy Chat

I would like to know if the use of Brown for a first name, for a women, is unusual.
My relative Brown Bell b 1812 married William Waugh 1839 at St Nicholas , Newcastle. I found these details on genes reunited. I have found the marriage cert and the 1881 census. :-)

entering "brown" in the forename box on freebmd brings up a LOT of people registered at birth as Brown, beginning in July quarter 1837



www.freebmd.org.uk



it is a free site

In most cases, "Brown" was probably given as a second forename .................


it might be more unusual for it to be the sole forename.

Thank you SylvianCanada,

I will try that.

Not sure if you have this? No father named so it looks like she may have been illegitimate



England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Name:Browne Bell

Gender:Female

Baptism Date:6 Jul 1811

Baptism Place:Farlam,Cumberland,England


Mother:
Eleanor Bell

FHL Film Number:0252851, 0252852

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1841 England Census

Name:Brown Waugh

Age:30

Estimated birth year:abt 1811

Gender:Female

Civil Parish:Ryton

Hundred:Chester (West Division)

County/Island:Durham

Registration district:Gateshead

Sub-registration district:Winlaton

Piece:302

Book:4

Folio:15

Page Number:25

Household Members:


William Waugh 22 <<Coal miner
Brown Waugh 30
Henry Waugh 1 4 Mo

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Mistranscribed!


1851 England Census

Name:Henry Waugh

Age:11

Estimated birth year:abt 1840

Relation:Son

Father's Name:William Waugh

Mother's name:Hanna Waugh

Gender:Male

Where born:Ryton, Durham, England

Civil Parish:Ryton Woodside

County/Island:Durham

Registration district:Gateshead

Sub-registration district:Whickham

ED, institution, or vessel:3b

Household schedule number:20

Piece:2403

Folio:383

Page Number:5

Household Members:


William Waugh 33
Hanna Waugh 57
Henry Waugh 11
William Waugh 9
Thomas Waugh 7
Elama Waugh 3
John Waugh 1

Name: William Waugh
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Age:
Spouse's Name: Brown Bell
Spouse's Birth Date:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Spouse's Age:
Event Date: 1839
Event Place: Newcastle Upon Tyne, St.Nicholas, Northumberland, England
Father's Name: William Waugh
Mother's Name:
Spouse's Father's Name:
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Race:
Marital Status:
Previous Wife's Name:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status:
Spouse's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M13565-8
System Origin: England-VR
GS Film number: 1068904
Reference ID: 2:3KHZFDJ



.

Thank to Gins and Safc,
I did niot have her birth certificate or that census .
Her grand daughter is my grandfmother She came to New Zealand via New South Wales, Australia.
My sister and are very thankful to have been given such help.

1861 Census
7 Records found



Piece: RG9/3809 Place: Winlaton -Co. Durham Enumeration District: 8
Civil Parish: Ryton Ecclesiastical Parish: -
Folio: 70 Page: 39 Schedule: 190
Address: -

Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
WAUGH William Head M M 42 Coal Miner Co. Durham - Ryton
WAUGH Brow Wife M F 49 Co. Durham - Ryton
WAUGH Henry Son U M 21 Coal Lab Co. Durham - Ryton
WAUGH William Son U M 19 Coal Lab Co. Durham - Ryton
WAUGH Thomas Son U M 17 Coal Lab Co. Durham - Ryton
WAUGH Ellen Dau - F 13 Scholar Co. Durham - Ryton
WAUGH John Son - M 11 Scholar Co. Durham - Ryton

1871 England Census


Name:John Waugh

Age:21

Estimated birth year:abt 1850

Relation:Son

Father's Name:
William Waugh

Mother's name:
Brown Waugh

Gender:Male

Where born:Ryton, Durham, England

Civil Parish:Ryton

Ecclesiastical parish:Holy Cross

Town:Emmaville and Townley and Pit House

County/Island:Durham

Registration district:Gateshead

Sub-registration district:Winlaton

ED, institution, or vessel:9

Household schedule number:190

Piece:5067

Folio:63

Page Number:40

Household Members:


William Waugh 52
Brown Waugh 59
Ellen Waugh 23
John Waugh 21

I would imagine that many an 'odd' first or middle name is due to keeping the name in the family.

IE my sister in law gave her eldest so her maiden as his first name Scott. This way she has kept her maiden name going for another generation, as with this branch of their family after my Partner there will be no more Scotts born. We have no kids...

But my dad had a very unusual middle name, and when I asked him about it, he had no idea where it came from, other than it was the same as his maternal grandfathers. On doing my family history I found out it was his g/g/grandmothers maiden name.

So it may be that at a later date you may discover the reasoning behind the odd name.

my father's forename was his mother's maiden name - Harman

In this case ..........

........ Brown(e) might be an indication of the surname of the father




From records on ancestry, it could be that Brown had several siblings ............



England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 about William Bell

Name: William Bell
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 8 Sep 1805
Baptism Place: Brampton, Cumberland, England
Mother: Eleanor Bell
FHL Film Number: 90568


Name: James Bell
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 12 Mar 1809
Baptism Place: Brampton,Cumberland,England
Mother: Eleanor Bell
FHL Film Number: 0252842-0252847


I don't know how close these places are, but these are also possible siblings ..............


England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 about William Bell

Name: William Bell
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 1 Aug 1813
Baptism Place: Bridekirk,Cumberland,England
Mother: Eleanor Bell
FHL Film Number: 90571


Name: Joseph Bell
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 21 Apr 1819
Baptism Place: Irthington,Cumberland,England
Mother: Elenor Bell
FHL Film Number: 90632

Thank you all, I will continue to look further back, now I have a birth cert I have her mothers name I can continue.
Beb