Genealogy Chat

I have a family which started in Sussex as Alcherne or Alchorne. When a branch crossed the border to Kent and started having children baptised they became Alchin. My own branch altered to Allchin when my GGGrandfather was baptised a month after his father had been buried. Obviously his mother must have had a different accent.

there are others on this site with whom I share a common ancestor. My family's name is (largely) recorded as Hakin throughout the 19th century, on all BMD registrations, and most censuses. Another branch, living in the same area, is down as Hagan. I reckon most people wouldn't regard these as having the same root, but they do - only one generation earlier, his birth & marriage are in parish registers as Hawkin. As if this wasn't confusing enough, one of my Hakins married an (unrelated) Hawkins.

Some names just changed over time for unknown reasons. An example of this is...... You may have seen on these boards The Colwood Tom...Well me and Tom share a common ancestor but mine are Coalwood and his Colwood....neither of us have the wrong name it's just changed over time......I enter Tom's line with his spelling. I also found others from both familes spelt Colewood!! I would say just enter it as you find it or if you think it could just be a spelling mistake then record the name in the usual way and make a note of the suspected spelling error, that way if you are ever looking for the record again you will know what name to look for. Deb

If I have more than one person from a family with a variation-ful name, I try to use more than one version so that I can catch matches with either. I aim to use any individual's starting-out name (from birth or baptism record, if available). Christine

Angela I put the 'found' spelling in my tree on here, so that it attracts someone who has only found the WRONG spelling. OC

Thank u grandpa jim xxxx but eek so what shall I put in my tree???? the Linacre thats on my grandads birth cert or the Linerker thats showing on the BMD's for gr gr grandad? why do ancestors have to be so flipping awkward

I wish we knew!! The general concensus of opinion in the Genealogical community is to spell an individual's name as it is found in the earliest record. Usually the Birth or Baptism spelling. Some change the spelling to a standard, but who is to say whether the earliest known or the current spelling is correct?

Right im confused just for a change. My Linacre's (I always thought that was how it was spelt) have the surnames changing spelling all the time. I have found my gr gr grandad Arthur Lineker birth 1846. I have him on the census and the 1851 census as Arthur Lineker census as1881 Arthur Lincker the 1901 census as Arthur Linacre and on my grandad cecil Binch b cert his mum are down as Annie Sophia Binch Nee Linacre !!!!!!!!!!!!!! So how is it spelt? so flipping confusing lol. Luv Angie xxx

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