Genealogy Chat

Hi, does anybody know if the name Minnie was used as a shortened version of Lavinia? My mother-in-law is looking everywhere for her Lavinia Derbyshire, aged 10 in 1901. I have possibly got the rest of her family living in Manchester, right area, without a mother, but the 10 year old is listed as Minnie. I don't know if this is a transcription error, or if this is a nickname, and I don't have any credits left to check - boo hoo. Any thoughts please. Thanks, Carol.

I have a few Minnies in my tree, but they were registered as such. Have you read the name from the scan, or just the transcription, some of the writing is terrible.

Perhaps it was written as Vinnie, and transcribed as Minnie. Jan.

Carol, no I have found it by using the decoder, so I am not sure. Will check next time I get some credits. Thanks. Carol

Jan, thats a possibility as my mother in laws mum and sister are both called Lavinia, and get called Vinnie. Thanks for that thought. Best wishes, Carol.

Minna and Minnie are diminutives of Mary, Miriam and Wilhelmina... according to the Collins Dictionary of First Names.

Minnie may just have been a family nickname. For some reason in the 1901 people were recorded with the name they were known by rather than their 'official' names. My Nan remembered having an 'Uncle Non' and it took me ages to find him. He was born just after 1881 and left home before 1901. Finally tracked him down as William Albert. Must have been known in the family by his middle name, which was then shortened to Al, nicknamed Algernon, then shortened to Non! Didn't they like to make life difficult for us?

My name is June and my brother used to call me Minnie. You are right, they do make it difficult for us. June Nr.Preston.Lan

I had a Aunt Elsie - who was called Dolly Can't quite work that out Liz

Carol, my Dad's great Aunt was Mary and appeared in 1891 census as this, had great trouble finding her in the 1901 census and when I did, she was recorded as Minnie.

My husband had an aunt named Pat, and she was called Toodles. And thro'out our 2 families the given names and the ones chosen are going to be very confusing to future generations. Maybe one of the older siblings had a slight speech impediment, couldn't manage Vinnie, said Minnie and the name stuck. Di.

two web sites to try, www(.)babynamenetwork.com/index.cfm www(.)behindthename.com Mary

My grandmother is Brenda and everyone calls her June. She tried to go back to Brenda once and everyone thought she was talking about a different person.

My mother's name is Muriel - but she was known within her family as Min. Her sister's name was Honor - but she was know as Doll or Dollie. Honor's husband's name was Oliver - but he was always known as Bill by our side of the family and Bob by his side!! As a child, I used to get very confused at family gatherings when there were people calling for Muriel, Min, Honor, Doll, Dolly, Bill and Bob... oh, and when one of my Great Aunt's was there as well, my Uncle John was called Jack...

My Aunt Maria was called Min or Minnie and Auntie Lil was in fact christened Amy, easier to understand Auntie Dorothy was always Doll (she was tiny) and Aunt Ivy was called Floss. Confusing isn't it?

My dad is Walter James. Mum calls him Jim, his friends call him Wally, his mother called him Walt, and his grandmother called him Walter. Grandmothers sister was called Gig, though her name was actually Gladys. One of grandfathers sisters was called Dolly, but her name was Alice Mum is Enid Joan, but always called by her second name, which is also my second name. It got very confusing writing on Christmas cards when grandparents were alive. Dad called his mother Mum, and my mother called hers Mam. So cards to grandparents from parents went thus To Mum and Dad, from Walt and Joan To Mam and Dad, from Jim and Joan

Just a thought -- if you are having trouble finding your ancestor, he/she may have gone by their middle name. I have quite a few ancestors who used their middle names on every official record!! My brother is Ross Allen, and since Ross is not a common name in the States, his Kindergarten teacher called him Rose the first day of school (thinking it was an error). That was the last day he used either Ross or Rose -- he still goes by Allen!