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surname changes

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Danny

Danny Report 28 Oct 2004 12:25

I think I have found my grandfather at long last, he did not appear in any census or BMD index.Why? I think the name was changed from Cohen, would this have to be done via a lawyer? Or could someone just start calling themselves by a different surname? This is in the UK around the 1890's in London. What I am trying to say would this be documented, and where?

Unknown

Unknown Report 28 Oct 2004 12:57

Daniel People could just change their name provided they consistently called themselves by their new name. I doubt if there would be a record of this. However, if he did change his name by deed poll, you might find some info here: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/familyhistory/name/ Have you got some way of matching up new and old surname - ie several first names, unusual names, distinctive occupation, place of birth etc.? nell

Carol

Carol Report 28 Oct 2004 13:59

As just one letter was changed, I would assume he just started using the new spelling on everything that needed his name on. Alternatively, he may have been illiterate and the new spelling was the way a registrar thought it was spelt. A possible reason for the change, I think could be, is that the original Cohen looked Jewish but Cowen didn`t. Just a few thoughts that sprang to mind.

Heather

Heather Report 28 Oct 2004 14:04

Hi, if he was rich he would place at advert in the London Times through a lawyer but I think a lot of people changed their names and just made them legal through usage. Actually, I remember trying to do a look up for you on Cowen and just bringing up Cohens all the time!! It may be he had a job that preferred Christian workers?

Danny

Danny Report 28 Oct 2004 14:55

Thanks everybody, I just wanted to see if anyone had come across this. The next step is for me to get a birth cert. and cross ref a few things.The items you all have mentioned have gave me a few ideas. Cheers

Tony

Tony Report 28 Oct 2004 15:42

I think there's something to be said about the degree of literacy. I have tracked my g grandfather (Irish immigrant) down as a BERGIN, though on census, marriage, birth and death records I have seen it spelt as BERGEN, BERGON, BERIGAN when the accepted form today is BURGIN. I believe the registrars and innumerators tried to spell the name as phonetically as they could, which is why you probably will find several derivations