Hi all, Changing surnames seems to be somewhat common in the 19th century. My grandfather's father was born William James Lemmon and we have his apprenticeship papers in that name. However, our oral family history states that he ran away from his apprenticeship and took the name Hellyer. He married in that name (although the marriage reg. states "formerly Lemmon") and all the information on him after that is in the name of Hellyer. In fact his descendents go by the name of Hellyer. Luckily, my mother inherited and kept family documents which show this transition. My husband's family name is Bennett. His aunt has tracked his great-grandfather who enrolled in the British army with a different first and last name (Thomas Dickens) and had 3 children with the last name "Dickens". As adults, at least one of the children, from whom my husband is descended, go by Bennett. It is very difficult to find the man who changed his name and to connect him to other members of the family. Unfortunately, my aunt-in-law has now lost the papers that supported the connection, however, her belief is that the correct name is Bennett and that the name was changed when the ggrandfather enrolled in the army as a young man. She asserts that he was the only son in a family of girls and therefore the army could refuse to take him, as he was supposed to be the support of the family (sort of Saving Private Ryan, but before the recruitment). We have been tracking my husband's family, immigrants from a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire that switched hands multiple times. We still do not know what the true Hungarian name is, since it appears on censuses as: Jaharz, Yuhaiz, Gondos!!, etc. We knew his great-aunt was born in Liverpool on a certain date (from records in the US) but COULD NOT find a birth certificate. Finally we ordered one for "Annie Julius", since that was the closest we could come. It has just arrived and all the evidence is that it is correct (mother's first name, address of family, etc.) but the written name is in fact "Julius". Finally, birth registrations could apparently be made out with no first name for the child. There is a space for the first name to be added later. What's a poor geneologist to do? Lynne Quoting Jim North <[email protected]>: > Is this combination unique? > > My mother changed her surname by deed poll to regularise the name she used > for 30+ years. I have her copy of the legal document drawn up by solicitors. > > My birth certificate is not a surname or christening name change but is > corrected by an endorsement of a declaration of my father 40 years after I > was born. Any new copies of it carry the endorsement and it now has two > reference numbers. This is very confusing as I now do not appear in any > indexes I have found, because my correct name was hand re written on the > typed index and the transcriber did not read the hand written note of my > middle name correctly. I have advised them (Ancestry)and hope one day that > it will appear as it should. > > My father in law's marriage certificate carries an amendment made by > declaration of his patents, after they found out that his father was > recruited into the first world war under the name of Smith. > The two reasons we assume for the name difference was more likely the > recruiter could not spell the simple surname offered or that he was under > aged and enrolled under an alias. This second point can easily be > ascertained if I apply for his army records. This I must do soon! > > Jim North > Les Arcs > France > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Timber > Sent: 08 January 2007 14:22 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT] Change of surname - legal requirements > > Chris. > > The situation on name changing is the same here in OZ. Probably why OZ is a > good > place to loose one's identity. I have often wondered how this would affect > the > signing of legal documents ? > > When in the RAF, a friend of mine had his name changed by deed poll. I > recall > seeing it on Routine Daily Orders. He changed it from Crapp to Wright. I > can't > say that I blame him ! > > Seamus....(tout á fait chevalier) > > System protected by system mechanics/Kaspersky > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of chris > whitehead > Sent: Sunday, 7 January 2007 12:08 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT] Change of surname - legal requirements > > It has never been a requirement for you to "officially" change your > name. Providing there's no intent to deceive or defraud you can call > yourself what ever you want. > > You may find a notice in a paper: > > "To all it may concern: John Smith now wishes to be known as John Brown" > > Given the names you quote, I suspect a change without public > notification, and would even guess a date. > In 1914, at the start of WW1 there was a great deal feeling against > anyone living here who was/might have been from Germany. This included > smashing the windows of shops with German owners. > > Your brother in law's ancestor may well have found it politic to change > his name to something more English. > > In message <[email protected]>, Rita Newton > <[email protected]> writes >> Hi all >> Belated New Year wishes to everyone. >> My query is not Portsmouth/Gosport specific - but has anyone experience >> of a surname change and what is involved? I'm researching my brother in >> law's family. His father's birth was registered in 1925 as John GOLDING >> however, John Golding's father's surname in 1901 census was GOLDSTEIN. >> So surname "anglised" between 1901 and 1925. >> When a surname is changed, what documentation is involved - would a >> note be made on the birth cert records? >> Any help/advice out there? >> Rita >> >> ------------------------------- >> 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 > > -- > Chris whitehead > > ------------------------------- > 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 > > > ------------------------------- > 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 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ----------- > Orange vous informe que cet e-mail a ete controle par l'anti-virus mail. > Aucun virus connu a ce jour par nos services n'a ete detecte. > > > > > > >

Hi, I'm still looking for my Great-grandfather of Southsea, a plumber: William James Hellyer (1854-c91). Any sightings are welcome... Edna - Ottawa