Genealogy Chat

I spent two years (on & Off) trying to find my gt grandad. Started with my gran's birth certificate - he was called Sidney - surname Johnson - my heart sank. Marriage certificate - Sidney. Looked for him on the census.Found him on 1901, away from his family - couldn't find him on 1891, but I had an approximate age on 1901, so tried to find his birth - couldn't find it!! Found his death - Sidney. His parents were called Mary & John, so they weren't much help!! I knew he had a sister called Beatrice - she bought my gran up. Eventually, trawling through ALL Johnsons in the 1891 census for Cornwall where the head was John Johnson - (there were a lot!!), and looking for Beatrice, I found him. He was called Gifford. How easy it would have been looking for that name!! His brothers Ivan and Sylvanus were known as Frederick and Herbert. It was lucky I knew about Beatrice (known as Beattie) and tried to find the only child who kept a bit of her real name!! I also have an Agnes known as Amelia, a (different) Beatrice known as Bella, Charles known as Thomas, George known as Stan and a late great aunt who I only knew as Nell, whose real name was Alice!! maggie

My Mums Bro was always known as uncle JIM. Was surprised a while ago talking to hs youngest daughter that he was Joseph Herbert. Why JIM ?? well his dad used to call him Sonny Jim and when he got older the sonny bit was dropped but all the family called him Jim. Logic there when you know !!

I have a Mary Jane, who appears to have been known as Dolly

My grandfather William Joseph was always called Peter no one has ever been able to tell me why Regards Tania

My uncle was christened Albert Thomas, and when he went to work, a lot of the men he worked with, knew his great grandfather who was William, and he was always known as Bill after that. My grandfather (same family) was Herbert, and was always known as Jack, after his father, who was known as Jack, but his real name was Jonah.

My grandfather was christened and registered as 'Cecil Henry Jeffcoat Purkis'. My grandmother didn't like Cecil and she always called him John! Luckily, all official documents and his service record (he was an Engineer in the Royal Navy) used his correct name!

I know a Peggy whose given name is Williamina ....no help to you at all. In her case someone muddled her name with her daughter's and she didn't like to correct them. Thereafter the name just caught on with friends but family continue to call her Mina. There may be any number of reasons why someone 'adopts' a name. Gwyn

People get all sorts of names given to them. I currently have friends whose names for each other bear no resemblance to their given names Leonard is known as Fred Mary is known as Sam Kenneth is also Fred And in our local paper last week, there was an obituary for an Albert Francis........(Jim). Pet names and nicknames are not the same as diminutives......... Reg

Hi Doesn't necessarily have to be a link! I have a relative who had 2 christian names, neither of which her husband liked, so he called her June, the month of her birthday. From then on, everyone knew her as June. Angela

hi, following on from my thread about missing grt aunt peggy she has been found!!!! however, the next mystery is how she went from being born MARY JANE to being known as PEGGY! i know there is the rhyme about margaret to peggy. but i cant see a link from mary jane. any ideas????