History Corner By Pat Ross & Fran Snead | ||
ARCHIVE 01/05/22 05/01/21 10/01/20 04/01/20 01/01/20 12/03/19 11/05/19 07/22/19 01/07/19 10/24/18 06/01/18 03/01/18 02/01/18 11/07/17 08/30/17 06/01/17 04/01/17 01/01/17 12/01/16 09/01/16 04/15/16 02/01/16 11/01/15 09/01/15 07/01/15 05/01/15 03/01/15 01/01/15 01/01/15 10/01/14 09/01/14 08/14/14 07/01/14 05/22/14 03/18/14 01/07/14 09/01/13 06/10/13 03/01/13 02/01/13 01/01/13 12/01/12 10/01/12 03/01/10 11/01/09 10/05/09 07/23/09 05/04/09 04/02/09 03/02/09 02/01/09 01/09/09 12/01/08 11/01/08 10/06/08 08/01/08 07/01/08 06/02/08 04/03/08 03/04/08 02/04/08 01/02/08 12/04/07 11/05/07 10/04/07 09/06/07 08/02/07 07/01/07 06/01/07 05/01/07 03/01/07 02/08/07 01/09/07 11/08/06 10/04/06 06/08/06 04/03/06 02/06/06 12/06/05 |
||
Many times while researching family history, we find that names found in county records are quite different from those for whom we have been searching. This is questioned by the researcher as to the validity of the name. Names were often written by the clerk or census taker as it sounded to them, thus a different spelling from the correct name and spelling gave another name entirely. When used in correspondence or legal documents, researchers sometimes are truly baffled by the names they encounter. Take for instance, a woman by the given name of Iowa could not be found in the census records. The patron knew that she was not dead in that census year, so why couldn’t he find her. Her name was spelled Owey and she had been called Aunt Owey with further research. Going back to the census, Aunt Owey was there all the time. There are many given names that were not used, and nicknames or pet names were used instead of the given name. For example, Martha was called Patsy; Mary was usually Molly or Polly. Trying to find Martha and Mary in a particular family in a census record would wind up sometimes being Patsy and Polly in the records. I am going to now give a list of nicknames that may help you find your family member in court or census records. Abigail – Abby, Gail or Nabby Deborah – Deb, Debby Abner – Abe Dorothy – Doll, Dolly, Dot, Dotty Abraham – Abe Edith – Edie Adela – Della Edward – Ed, Eddie, Ned Albert – Al or Bert Eleanor – Ella, Ellie, Nellie, Nell, Nora Alexander – Alex or Sandy Elizabeth – Bess, Beth, Betty, Betsy, Libby, Amanda – Mandy Lizzie, Lib, Bet, Liz, Becky, Bessie Amelia – Milly, Millie Emeline or Emily – Em, Emmie Andrew – Andy, Drew Esther – Essie, Hetty Ann, Anne – Annie, Anna, Nancy, Nan, Nanny, Nina Estelle - Stella Arabella – Bell, Bella, Belle Ezekiel - Zeke Augusta – Gussie Faith – Fay, Faye Benjamin – Ben, Benny, Benjie Frances – Fannie, Fanny, Franky Bertha – Bertie, Berty Gertrude – Gertie, Gerty, Trudy Bridgett – Biddy Harold - Hal Caleb – Cal Harriet – Hatt, Hatty, Hetty Cassandra – Cass, Cassie Helen – Nell, Nellie, Nelly Catherine – Cathy, Kathy, Kit, Kitty Henrietta – Etta, Hetty, Nettie, Retta Charlotte – Lottie, Lotta Christopher – Chris, Kit Cleopatra – Cleo Columbus – Lum Cornelius – Neil, Neal Cyrus – Cy Henry – Harry, Hank Isabelle – Bell, Belle |