Genealogy Chat

Hi All, I have my grandfather's marriage certificate and it states that his wife was a spinster and that the surname she was using wasn't her original surname. She was aged 64 when she married my grandad. She was born a Roberts and changed it to Crook, any ideas on how I can find out when she changed her name, also would it be possible that she was previously married and didn't want to divulge it and so said she was a spinster???? Has anyone out there any ideas or had similiar in their FT. It's not that long ago, only 1964. thanks in advance, Lou

Yes, Ive had something similar and Im afraid its cos the bride was probably a bit dozy. She was a widow, gave her name and spinster as status. It may well be your ancestor thought of herself as single as she was in effect not married. Have you checked for an earlier marriage? (I take it this was your grandads second marriage - LOL)

Hi Heather, No it was his 3rd and rather a suspect marriage at that as he died 3 weeks after his marriage of ..... poisoning!!!! So my curiosity as to why she would say she was a spinster with a different surname than that given at birth. I'm thinking ( there was a rumour about his death when I was a child and I've been trying to investigate it - and it seems to be turning out right) maybe she was married and did the same thing to her previous hubby and therefore didn't want to say she was married in case it was followed up. (she refused to turn up at police station with marriage cert and just disappeared) I could be really cruel about her and there could be an easy explanation!!!!!???? Hhhhmm! Lou Yes I've checked for an earlier marriage and there is on around 1920's between a Roberts and Crook but surnames are swopped around & the christian name of the woman is slightly different, Margaret E instead of Mary E????? Crook instead of a Roberts

LOL, then perhaps the name she chose was a cruel joke, eh?

Trouble is you can change your name any time you want - it doesnt need any sort of official form - just using it is enough for it to be legal - not that she would worry if she was a Crook anyway! Good luck on the search.

Hi Heather, Yes I think your right!!!! I couldn't believe it when I read it. I remember mum and dad saying that she just refused to turn up at the police station with the marriage certificate - and the police called around to her house and found several empty sleeping pill bottles yet she still managed to get away with it. I am now on a quest to see whether she was indeed married before and did the same thing to him!!!! Do you know how I'd find out when she changed her name if not by marriage? Lou

Hi Heather & Diane, thanks for your comments, I did think it would be hard to find out, and the thought had struck me that she might not be truthful but had thought that as it was an official certificate you HAD to be truthful, but if you've no scruples I don't suppose that would be a problem to you. I haven't found a previous marriage for her so far, but I'll keep plodding on you never know what else I might find. thanks again, OOOh! just had a thought wonder if he made a Will! that could lead to another relative of hers. Got to go things to find, thanks again girls, Lou

My great-grandfather changed his surname what confusion it has caused.... Some of the family have no idea that our surname was some thing else... I never beleived my grandad when he told me that some one would have a hard job searching the family tree has our surname was known by another name Gt-grandfather fell out with his family and chose to distant himself from them... I Have a feeling he could of been a rebel and his brother was someone who prosperd, unfortunatly our family lived in poverty. When i found it difficult to find my paternal tree i thought i would give it a try and go with grandads words which he spoke althose years ago... The surname was unsual and grandad was named after his uncle that also had a unsual forname so knowing certain info i looked on the census and directories and found them not living far away from great-grandad.. I have moved forward and have noticed that some of grandads cousins died within in a matter of months from grandad . I beleive there are decendants from this family but i feel unsure whether to contact them for i dont know whether they were told of a great-uncle they had who changed his surname... I have no proof of surname change that is where i am stumped!!!

If you want an innocent explanation and she really was a spinster then the name 'change' could be down to her having been born illegitimate and registered with her mother's maiden name but then brought up using step father's surname.

Hi Judith & Sandie, Judith how stupid of me not to think of that! thanks for the tip, I'll look into it. I can't believe I never thought of that - it's obvious really when you sit and think about it. Just had another though that she could have been engaged and he possibly died and she wanted to feel close to him and used his name! OOh the possibilities are flooding in now. Thanks Judith, lots of new ideas to search through. Sandie I'm sorry I can't help you I know how confusing it is when a surname has been changed. I'm lucky enough that another line I'm researching has the surname changed from Coyne - coin - Kind -Roind. All because of moving around the country and through accents and different spellings, but at least they all sound similar. I do feel for you Sandie it's heartbreaking when you get stumped like that. I can only wish you good luck and thanks for replying. Lou

Thank you Lou! One thing at least i feel satisfied that grandad wasn't making up stories at that particular time and at least my mum his daughter-in-law was in the same room when he spoke about it. I do have a look on this site now and again in hope that a decendant of my branch family are also searching their roots i live in hope that one day they might look at this site for now i will live in hope... I found more luck with my grandmother who was adopted in 1912 and that was supposed to be a difficult but i think it was a matter of luck and the added bonus that her foster family kept an agreement. So to every one who is searching keep at it the answers somewhere....