On 30 Dec 2010 at 20:56, Chris Jefferies wrote: > Roy > > There may only be 81 people of the name born in that period but it is > less than one per year. As I was born within a year of the man > arrested and have a lot of connections with Bristol it is a reasonable > assumption that people who have not actually met me or seen a > photograph to wonder if I am that person. I have had several off list > emails from people on this and other lists saying that they had indeed > done that so it was a good job that I sent the email.> What can I say, Chris, except that we're all delighted it isn't you! -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE

(Resend as original did not get to the list) There is a JEFFERY web site which claims that JEFFERIES and some variations originate from Wales but there are no facts or details given to confirm this. Similarly it says that JEFFREY has Scottish origins and JEFFRIS has French origins. However I cannot see how a minor change in spelling at a time when few people could read and write can be taken to mean a major change in origin. >From the mid 1700s I have always considered JEFFERIES, JEFFRIES, JEFFERIS, JEFFERYS & JEFFREYS as interchangeable. In earlier registers the name is often spelt with a G instead of a J. My G G Grandfather's surname was spelt three different ways in different documents because he could not write so the spelling depends on how the particular vicar, enumerator etc thought it should be spelt. When he was baptised at Siston his surname was spelt JEFFERIS as are the majority baptised in that parish. Of his children baptised at Pucklechurch three are JEFFERIES and two are JEFFERIS. The later children were baptised JEFFERIES in Mangotsfield where that is the usual spelling. In one census his name was spelt JEFFERYS. I have memories of my uncles with their strong Bristol accent always pronouncing our surname "JEFFRIS" so its easy to see how spellings can change. According to the surname profiler in the I881 census listed below is the area were the Surname variations was most common:- JEFFERIES Swindon followed by Bristol(BS) and Gloucester (the GL postcode area not the city) JEFFERIS Salisbury followed by Bristol JEFFRIES Swindon JEFFERYS Swindon JEFFREYS Swansea JEFFERY Torquay I have never seen any connection between the families living in the Bristol area and those living in the Swindon area. Chris Jefferies Cheltenham Glos

I have JEFFERIS in my family tree originating from Fordingbridge, Hampshire - earliest I have is 1804. Then there is Anne JEFFREY (married William HINTON) circa 1733 in Wilton. Finally, Elizabeth JEFFERIES (married Robert FOX) circa 1800 from Swindon, Wiltshire. Susan -----Original Message----- From: Chris Jefferies Sent: Friday, December 31, 2010 4:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [B&D] Surname Jefferies (Resend as original did not get to the list) There is a JEFFERY web site which claims that JEFFERIES and some variations originate from Wales but there are no facts or details given to confirm this. Similarly it says that JEFFREY has Scottish origins and JEFFRIS has French origins. However I cannot see how a minor change in spelling at a time when few people could read and write can be taken to mean a major change in origin. >From the mid 1700s I have always considered JEFFERIES, JEFFRIES, JEFFERIS, JEFFERYS & JEFFREYS as interchangeable. In earlier registers the name is often spelt with a G instead of a J. My G G Grandfather's surname was spelt three different ways in different documents because he could not write so the spelling depends on how the particular vicar, enumerator etc thought it should be spelt. When he was baptised at Siston his surname was spelt JEFFERIS as are the majority baptised in that parish. Of his children baptised at Pucklechurch three are JEFFERIES and two are JEFFERIS. The later children were baptised JEFFERIES in Mangotsfield where that is the usual spelling. In one census his name was spelt JEFFERYS. I have memories of my uncles with their strong Bristol accent always pronouncing our surname "JEFFRIS" so its easy to see how spellings can change. According to the surname profiler in the I881 census listed below is the area were the Surname variations was most common:- JEFFERIES Swindon followed by Bristol(BS) and Gloucester (the GL postcode area not the city) JEFFERIS Salisbury followed by Bristol JEFFRIES Swindon JEFFERYS Swindon JEFFREYS Swansea JEFFERY Torquay I have never seen any connection between the families living in the Bristol area and those living in the Swindon area. Chris Jefferies Cheltenham Glos ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message