Genealogy Chat

Do you think it likely that a child born 1894 would have called his second cousin Eleanor born 1869 'Aunt Nell', and continued to do so as an adult? I have a photograph of my mother sitting with her on deckchairs on a beach somewhere, about 1930, and a vague memory of a visit from her around 1940, and believe I was told she was my father's aunt.

My mother showed me a picture of her 'Uncle Arthur' and he turned out to be her mother's second cousin or some such, not strictly speaking an uncle. If she was that much older then I wouldn't be surprised if she was called 'aunt' even though that wasn't the precise relationship. Kate.

Yes! But then anything is possible. Jay

I have exactly that in my family - my father spoke about his Aunt Edith. She turned out to be his second cousin. OC

Very likely.........children were brought up to be polite to their elders, and calling her Aunt Nell would be easier than Cousin Nell...........and habits die hard. My son calls a dear family friend 'Auntie'...he has done since he was 8yrs old........he's 41 now, and can't break the habit, although, oddly, he happily calls her hubby by his given name, as he looks on him as a mate. It's to do with respect.....and affection, I guess. Reg

I have loads of Aunts and Uncles who arent related just the way my parents brought me and my brother up, and as you know nell is another name for elenor, ( my little neice is called elenor but everyone calls her little Nell.

I was born in 1955 and I had several adults in my life who were called Aunty or Uncle. Some were older cousins, or close friends of my parents, or Godmother,etc. Pity the person doing my tree. Oh, I forgot. It's me. That's why it's so hard.

Thank you, Ladies and Reg. I now feel I have not been wasting my time looking for her, even if Aunt Nell does finally turn out to be someone else. Until I started last year, I didn't know anyone in the family was called Eleanor - now I know about four, though only one is a direct ancestor.! Have just realised she was my second cousin too, once removed. It is remarkable how families can get 'out of synch' in just a few generations.

Nell is a pet name for Eleanor, Helen, Ellen etc. Generally I call people the same names in adulthood as I did in childhood - Auntie and Uncle names are the same, Mum is still Mum, etc. But Aunt would be a respectful term for any female relative/family friend who was older than the child, so quite possibly a great-aunt or a distant cousin. On the other hand, pet names don't always have a connection with the person's real name. nell