Genealogy Chat

Hi all, I've just found out that my family name should be Houghton. I had been unable to trace any records re my grandfather's birth and any of the other family members pre 1906 under the surname Haughton until last night, when I found the whole family right back to 1848 under Houghton. It seems that the name became Haughton when my grandfather married his first wife as the marriage is registered under Haughton, not Houghton. His birth records and his brothers and sisters and parents and grandparents are all under Houghton. This is probably a silly question because I know a lot of names changed due to incorrect spellings etc, but Haughton and Houghton are names in their own right. Should our family name not be changed to Houghton? Can someone please help as I'm really confused!! Also, will my family tree program be as confused as me? Kind regards, Jenni

Hi Jennifer, Mine is a bit like that. My maiden name is Hennell and most of the line is - but I have found a few children of family members who have been named Hannell. These are also separate names in their own right. But I am sticking to Hennell as that is my correct line. Depends on accents and suchlike I think also poor writing. I also have Ascough and Ayscough on Mums side sticking to Ayscough but have to look under both versions to trace family. Have Cook/Cooke Baynard/Banyard Wheeldon/Wheedon/Weedon these are all on 3 certs. Wheedon going to Canada on ship. Hard to trace anything at times. Sandra

When I collected records from original sources I always included a few of the closely spelt names. I'm sure tired clerks made mistakes with vowels and also interpreting the verbal information, as just a few generations ago the majority of people seemed to be illiterate.

Jennifer, I have just noticed your name, which, please forgive me, is probably not unique, so, you probably aren't the Jenny James I went to school with, are you? I'm talking 1959 - 1964.

My husband's great grandfather ran away from home around 1890. We have had trouble tracing him as he changed his name from Frogg to Froggatt. Can't blame him can you?

Hi Jennifer, In the 19th century there were millions of people who were illiterate, and who had no way of determining how their name was spelt. Census enumerators, registrars and the clergy etc would spell the name the way they saw fit. It's not unusual to find the same person had his or her name spelt more than one way in their lifetime. Only when people became educated could they decide for themselves the spelling of their surname. I always find it best to say the name out loud and make a list of all the different ways it could be spelt on hearing it. Best wishes, Carole

Hi The family tree is a bit of a dilemma isn't it. I've met some people through tracing my family tree who have consistently spelt the surnames the way they first appear - in on case this is LEA but by the time my mother was born her maiden name was spelt LEE. One suggestion was to spell it LE* in the family tree, but that made me confused with the HERRINGTON branch that started off as HARRINGTON, should they then be H*RRINGTON? And what about the GAU family in my tree, should they be GA* or G* since it's been spelt GAU GAN GALL GALE and GORE -(amongst others). I have in the end just amended the surname as it evolved by editing the name when I have to and looking out for all possible variations in old censuses and documents. I wonder what other people do? xx Ann

Our name changed from 1913 when granddad Charles Dridge married and became Charles Dredge. Another case of the register putting down the wrong information, why granddad didn't correct it I don't know but he and Uncle Ted have always told us the correct spelling. Dridge is not a common name and seemed to be in one area in the south of England before 1950. Irene

My Grandfather appears on the 1881 census as Harrison (also on his Marriage and Death Certificates) he was born Muxlow in 1856 and on the 1861 census he was still Muxlow, somewhere in the next 20 years his name changed, cant blame bad spelling for that! I've already spent 12 months unravelling this and still dont know why,apparently it was a common thing to change surnames. One GC member said his grandfather stood on the steps of Somerset House saw a lorry go by and chose that name.

My granny's aunt was Isabel May REESE and yet on her birth cert the registrar has continually written REES. Good job I got the cert from a family member and did not try and find it on 1837! Also, in the 1700s and early 1800's my lot were YOUDES but somewhere along the line they dropped the e and became YOUDS. Its very hard when looking at the census records and MI's and you can see the cross over so you are never quite certain even though you know you are right really!

My family name gradually changed from Green to Greenley between 1810 and 1827. Should I really be calling myself Jeanette Green?! Jeanette Green/ley

Hi everyone, A huge 'Thank you' for your replies. I think I must be experiencing '40 something' moments, LOL, because I knew that many people were illiterate and the spellings were often incorrect, but I have spent a couple of months with a brick wall in my family tree, because it never occurred to me to look under Houghton until the other day. I know there are several other variations to look under so I guess that's why I can't now find my GG Grandfather! I only started my tree a few months ago so I guess I'll get the hang of things. Julie, I wish I could say I was your old school friend, but I was Jenny Haughton at school - James is my married name. Just a thought, have you tried Friends Reunited as I have been reunited with my best school friend amongst others and in particular, the school heart throb who came to see me last year. Best wishes, Jenni xx