Genealogy Chat

I have an ancestor whose name appears as Marianne on the 1851,61 and 71 census returns. She married Alfred Pike and their oldest child was born about 1841. I've found a marriage entry for Alfred Pike from 1840 from about the right part of London, but the only like candidate for a spouse is Mary Ann. Are these names interchangeable ? Don't want to blow (another) £7 for a cert on long odds ! Also, has anyone heard the name Katie being used as short for Caroline ? Thanks, Rick.

Rick, as a Marian called after a Mary Ann I can tell you that the names sometimes are confused. As 'Mary Ann' would have been much the more common name in 1840 I think it is quite likely that it would have been entered by mistake. Marian

Hi Marian, That's what I was leaning towards too. Seems as though I'll have to put another order i to te GRO ! Thanks, Rick.

I have heard as mostly Karrie being short for Caroline so that could be misread or mistranscribed as Katie KIM

Hi Kim, The trouble is it's supposed to be my GG grandmother's name. My great aunt says her grandmother always answered to the name of Katie, but on the 1891 census it says Caroline. I'm trying to work out if it's the same woman or if my GG grandfather got about a bit !! Thanks, Rick.

I have also seen the name CARO as short for caroline ( and I tend to call my lovely daughter in law Caro )

Hi Richard, I can understand your frustration over your ancestors namechanging. One of mine was called Catherine but preferred to use the name Kate. Then again, if they were all so easy to find, we would quickly get bored with this addictive hobby and would get pushed aside. Wishing you LUCK in your own researching, Take Care. Regards, Dawn.

Thanks Dawn & She, I've ordered a birth certificate which I hope will be one of "Katie's" daughters (though sadly not on my direct bloodline). Hopefully this will shed some light on things ! Rick.

Hi Marie-Anne (he typed VERY carefully!) If I've found the right marriage, then it was Turner (June quarter 1840, Clerkenwell). Thanks, Rick.

Hi Lorna, Very true ! At least you can see the derivation of a shortened form of a second name though. It's tough to see how you can get Katie from the name Caroline E. McArthur, so that's why I'm wondering if it's a different woman. The census entry is from 1891 and my G aunt wasn't born until 1915, so I wonder if her grandfather remarried at some point. The very worst name change I've seen so far is where one of my ancestors was registered as Louisa at birth. Five years later she's down as Mathida on the census (I've seen the actual image & it certainly looks like this, but I suspect it's supposed to be Matilda). 10 years after this she's down as Lillie !! Rick.

RICHARD, maybe her middle name was Cathrine or something or perhaps she didn't like Caroline?? My Grandmother's nameswere Elizabeth Clara Nellie Patricia and she is not know by anything other than Pat! KIM

Hi all other Marion's and variants !! I think our name(s) must be one of the most misspelt and mis-pronounced ! I worked with someone for 6 months and at the end of that time she was still calling me Maureen !! Have had Marianne, Marilyn, Mary-anne, Marian, Marrion, Marie, Maureen and those are the polite ones !! Also every other Mary-Anne/Marianne etc on my tree is never spelt the same way twice ! Marion/Maz XX

and in the Waller tree, the Mary Ann's often swap to being Ann Marie's as well.

Evening all, Sounds like the only way to settle the Mary Ann = Marianne question in this particular case is to cough up the £7 for the cert. If this thread is still going when it arrives I'll let you all know ! As for Katie/Caroline - the debate goes on ! I really must edit my details to say Rick too as you can call me Richard til you're blue in the face & I probably won't realise you're talking to me !! Am I right in saying the name in your details has to match your entry in your gedcom to upload your tree successfully ? The only reason mine still says Richard is that my full name is in my gedcom. Rick.

Hi Richard (Rick I`m talking to you!), It may be she just preferred Katie! My family is full of people who go by totally different names ie: grans name was Jane Ellen but called herself Dorothy and appears as such on 1901 census! I also have an aunt called Jane who is only known as Bet. Keep tapping and that wall will crumble! Rebecca( also known as Bex, Becci and for some strange reason Lucy!)

Caroline/Katie - an update: Got the birth cert for my G grandmother's sister today and her mother's name was.......... Mary Ann !!!!!!! (This has nothing at all to do with the Marianne/Mary Ann puzzle either). So GG grandfather marries Mary Ann about 1877 and has two daughters and maybe one son. By the time of the 1891 census he's married to Caroline (I guess Mary Ann died). And then my great aunt remembers someone called Katie as her grandmother on this side, when it was really Mary Ann who she never knew. Still a bit of a puzzle, but no longer a brick wall. Feeling rather good tonight ! Rick.

p.s. Lucy (!!), you were right - can you hear the bricks crumbling ?