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Common abbreviations for given names

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Nemo

Nemo Report 20 Dec 2013 14:30

Hi,
Given names are sometimes abbreviated in the census. If you are unaware of this you may miss who you're looking for.

Some of the common ones are:

Charles.........................Chas
Henry.............................Hy
James...........................Jas
John...............................Jno
Thomas.........................Thos
William...........................Wm

Another point. Occasionally a person is shown with just their initial and surname, although this is rare.

John

rootgatherer

rootgatherer Report 20 Dec 2013 14:40

George - Geo
Alexander - Alex
Elizabeth - Eliz
Margaret - Margt. or Mgt.
Edward - Edw

Researching:

AnnCardiff

AnnCardiff Report 20 Dec 2013 16:07

Margaret - Peggy
Nancy - Ann

Researching:
Breakspears of Berkshire and Cardiff, Williams and Harman of Whitchurch, Melingriffith &Tongwynlais,Glamorgan WE HAVE NO CONNECTION Do not share your tree with me

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 20 Dec 2013 16:42

Doris = Doll
Harriet = Hattie
Henrietta = Hettie
Sarah = Sadie OR Sally
Ellen = Nell/Nellie

And I would actually reverse one of the ones posted by Ann

Ann = Nancy

A rather less obvious one

Mary = Polly



My grandfather was Edward..........and on his business stationery he was Ed. (no W)

GlasgowLass

GlasgowLass Report 20 Dec 2013 17:44

Some names evolved during the census years:

Grizzell- Grace
Patrick-Peter
Isabella- Bella or Isa
Janet- Jessie
Jane- Jeanie

Sometimes it pays to look at the original census to dermine if an entry is male or female.

Have lost count on the number of times where Jane has been mistrancribed as James.
Also: Alexanderina to Alexander

Goes a long way to explaining away all those "extra" children appear within a family.... on one census only!

Researching:
Brannan/ McGrath/ Kerr/ Jordan/ Finnigan NI and Free State. Devlin/ Lamont / Lamond/ Fyfe/ Pollock/ Johnston/Struthers/ Smith. Scotland. Avi: Hand Fasting or Tying The Knot. Daughters wedding 2016

AnnCardiff

AnnCardiff Report 20 Dec 2013 21:54

Charlotte - Lottie

Researching:
Breakspears of Berkshire and Cardiff, Williams and Harman of Whitchurch, Melingriffith &Tongwynlais,Glamorgan WE HAVE NO CONNECTION Do not share your tree with me

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 21 Dec 2013 09:21

And don't forget the habit of recording children by their second forenames - especially when they are named after a parent

rootgatherer

rootgatherer Report 21 Dec 2013 20:04

I think John was actually referring to abbreviations used for first names rather than variations of first names.

There is this thread with examples of "atternate" first names

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/tips_board/thread/1017245

Researching:

Nemo

Nemo Report 22 Dec 2013 15:21

Hi rootgatherer,

Yes, you're correct, I did intend it to be abbreviations. However, with the thread you have highlighted and the other contributions, hopefully it will prove helpful to somebody.

John

John

John Report 28 Dec 2013 15:11

Elizabeth - Elizth
Richard - Richd