Hello, Another couple of names that I found interchangeable in my family are Caroline and Kate. I don't know whether this is unusual or not. The family in which this occurred also came from St Austell. Regards, Christine -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Julia Mosman Sent: Thursday, 22 November 2012 6:19 p.m. To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: [CORNISH-GEN] Use of the names Jane, Jennifer, Jenny in Cornwall; also Aunt & Uncle Hi All - Just transcribed this for the March 5, 1858 West Briton, but thought it might be of great interest now to the List, as we just discussed names a bit ago. This was part of an article about a court case which dealt with wills, and interpretations of what entries in the will meant. ................. In the course of this cause, some quasi-philological discussion took place as to the name Jennifer. The Rev. F. TODD said it was within his own knowledge, as vicar of St. Austell, and as formerly curate of another parish, that persons named Jane were frequently called Jennifer, and vice versa; he himself had a daughter baptized Jane, but was very frequently called Jennifer; but still, "Jane" and "Jennifer" were distinct baptismal names. The lawyers seemed puzzled to account for the addition of the syllable FOR to Jenny; various conjectures were hazarded, and the learned Judge suggested the whole name "Jennifer," might possibly be a corruption of Ginevra! A more homely and reasonable suggestion was that Jennifer was merely a Cornish mode of giving a familiar endearment to the name; and a similar explanation was given of the name "Un-Jane," by which it appeared the "Jane" of this case was sometimes called by her friends; the prefix "Un" it was suggested, might represent "Aunt"; the terms "aunt: and "uncle" being employed in Cornwall as expressive of respect and affection, with intimating relationship. ............... So there you are; even more complications in the naming patterns used in Cornwall! Just what we needed. Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving to those living in the US, Julia ------------------------------- Listmom: [email protected] or [email protected] Visit the OPC (Online Parish Clerk) web page for transcription information http://www.cornwall-opc.org/ ------------------------------- 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

Catherine/Kate is more usual. Also Ann/Nan/Nancy, Betty/Elizabeth feature pretty frequently in my people. Jennifer/Jane remains the oddest though. Jennifer is of course Guinevere, which I guess shortened through Jenny or Ginny to Jane. Early on I have a few Jane/Joans On the male side I have Edward/Edmund, Theophilus/Thomas and Hyrum/Henry being used interchangeably JF ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christine Tregonning" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2012 5:40 PM Subject: Re: [CORNISH-GEN] Use of the names Jane, Jennifer, Jenny inCornwall; also Aunt & Uncle > Hello, > > Another couple of names that I found interchangeable in my family are > Caroline and Kate. I don't know whether this is unusual or not. The > family > in which this occurred also came from St Austell. > > Regards, > > Christine > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Julia Mosman > Sent: Thursday, 22 November 2012 6:19 p.m. > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > Subject: [CORNISH-GEN] Use of the names Jane, Jennifer, Jenny in Cornwall; > also Aunt & Uncle > > > Hi All - > Just transcribed this for the March 5, 1858 West Briton, but thought it > might be of great interest now to the List, as we just discussed names a > bit > ago. > This was part of an article about a court case which dealt with wills, and > interpretations of what entries in the will meant. > ................. > In the course of this cause, some quasi-philological discussion took place > as to the name Jennifer. The Rev. F. TODD said it was within his own > knowledge, as vicar of St. Austell, and as formerly curate of another > parish, that persons named Jane were frequently called Jennifer, and vice > versa; he himself had a daughter baptized Jane, but was very frequently > called Jennifer; but still, "Jane" and "Jennifer" were distinct baptismal > names. > The lawyers seemed puzzled to account for the addition of the syllable FOR > to Jenny; various conjectures were hazarded, and the learned Judge > suggested > the whole name "Jennifer," might possibly be a corruption of Ginevra! A > more > homely and reasonable suggestion was that Jennifer was merely a Cornish > mode > of giving a familiar endearment to the name; and a similar explanation was > given of the name "Un-Jane," by which it appeared the "Jane" of this case > was sometimes called by her friends; the prefix "Un" it was suggested, > might > represent "Aunt"; the terms "aunt: and "uncle" being employed in Cornwall > as > expressive of respect and affection, with intimating relationship. > ............... > So there you are; even more complications in the naming patterns used in > Cornwall! Just what we needed. > Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving to those living in the US, > Julia > ------------------------------- > Listmom: [email protected] or [email protected] > > Visit the OPC (Online Parish Clerk) web page for transcription information > http://www.cornwall-opc.org/ > ------------------------------- > 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 > > >

Hi Julia At least "Jane" and "Jennifer" seem to have stopped being used interchangeably by about the mid-19th century. (Didn't they?) I've always found it to be extremely unwise when searching for a Jane not to look also for Jennifer (and its variants - and vice-versa). This seems a peculiarly Cornish thing. There is also Catherine/Christian, another couple of names which have very different origins, but in Cornwall can be interchangeable. Makes no sense really! Tony Tony Bennett Cheshire, UK

Further to the discussion about Jane and Jennifer, my great grandmother born in Australia to Cornish parents was named Jane at birth but was referred to as Jenny or as my mother knew her grandmother, Jeanie. It wasn't until I obtained her parents' death certificates that I found that Jenny/Jeanie was really Jane. Regards, Leigh -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Julia Mosman > Sent: Thursday, 22 November 2012 6:19 p.m. > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > Subject: [CORNISH-GEN] Use of the names Jane, Jennifer, Jenny in Cornwall; > also Aunt & Uncle > > > Hi All - > Just transcribed this for the March 5, 1858 West Briton, but thought it > might be of great interest now to the List, as we just discussed names a bit > ago. > This was part of an article about a court case which dealt with wills, and > interpretations of what entries in the will meant. > ................. > In the course of this cause, some quasi-philological discussion took place > as to the name Jennifer. The Rev. F. TODD said it was within his own > knowledge, as vicar of St. Austell, and as formerly curate of another > parish, that persons named Jane were frequently called Jennifer, and vice > versa; he himself had a daughter baptized Jane, but was very frequently > called Jennifer; but still, "Jane" and "Jennifer" were distinct baptismal > names. > The lawyers seemed puzzled to account for the addition of the syllable FOR > to Jenny; various conjectures were hazarded, and the learned Judge suggested > the whole name "Jennifer," might possibly be a corruption of Ginevra! A more > homely and reasonable suggestion was that Jennifer was merely a Cornish mode > of giving a familiar endearment to the name; and a similar explanation was > given of the name "Un-Jane," by which it appeared the "Jane" of this case > was sometimes called by her friends; the prefix "Un" it was suggested, might > represent "Aunt"; the terms "aunt: and "uncle" being employed in Cornwall as > expressive of respect and affection, with intimating relationship. > ............... > So there you are; even more complications in the naming patterns used in > Cornwall! Just what we needed. > Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving to those living in the US, > Julia > ------------------------------- > Listmom: [email protected] or [email protected] > > Visit the OPC (Online Parish Clerk) web page for transcription information > http://www.cornwall-opc.org/ > ------------------------------- > 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 > > ------------------------------- > Listmom: [email protected] or [email protected] > > Visit the OPC (Online Parish Clerk) web page for transcription information http://www.cornwall-opc.org/ > ------------------------------- > 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 messageFurte