I am looking for a woman named in a [Whitechapel] will of 1747 as "Anna Scott, widow." After staring at literally hundreds of names of Ann or Ann Scott, it has occurred to me that perhaps Anna is a relatively strange variation of this name. I know that IGI treats "Hannah" as a variation of Anne, and so perhaps Anna is really a Hannah. But could the same also be true of Susanna? Has anyone ever seen Susannah for Anna? I can imagine that a testator who said Susannah could have been misheard as saying Anna -- but any other thoughts on the possibility that Anna is Susannah? Or comments on whether or not Anna is in fact a rather odd name for this period and place? Santa T.

Santa Traugott wrote: > I am looking for a woman named in a [Whitechapel] will of 1747 as > "Anna Scott, widow." > > After staring at literally hundreds of names of Ann or Ann Scott, > it has occurred to me that perhaps Anna is a relatively strange > variation of this name. I know that IGI treats "Hannah" as a > variation of Anne, and so perhaps Anna is really a Hannah. Anna and Hanna/h were interchangeable so Anna could have been Hanna/h. > But could the same also be true of Susanna? Has anyone ever seen > Susannah for Anna? I can imagine that a testator who said Susannah > could have been misheard as saying Anna -- but any other thoughts > on the possibility that Anna is Susannah? I've not seen Anna for Susanna/h but I have regularly come across Susan for Susanna/h. If the will was made on the deceased's death bed, it's entirely possible whoever was writing down the details misheard the name. > Or comments on whether or not Anna is in fact a rather odd name for > this period and place? No, it's not odd for either time nor place. IIRC, and bearing in mind I didn't do Latin at school, I believe Anna is the Latin version of Ann/e so it might be a left over from that time I never cease to be surprised by some of the apparently "grand" names used by very ordinary families for their children. -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Greinton and Clutton, SOM Asst OPC for Ashcott and Shapwick, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk

The only variant of Susanna(h) that I've seen is Susan. It's a biblical name and distinct from Hannah. Hannah is also of Hebrew origin and Anna is the Latin version. I have plenty of ancestors called Anna (Anna Maria seems a popular combination) in the late seventeen - early eighteen hundreds. There is one who appears variously as Hannah or as Anna. Wikipedia has info. on the origins of these names. Angela On 28 Jun 2010, at 12:31 pm, Santa Traugott wrote: > I am looking for a woman named in a [Whitechapel] will of 1747 as > "Anna Scott, widow." > > After staring at literally hundreds of names of Ann or Ann Scott, it > has occurred to me that perhaps Anna is a relatively strange variation > of this name. I know that IGI treats "Hannah" as a variation of Anne, > and so perhaps Anna is really a Hannah. > > But could the same also be true of Susanna? Has anyone ever seen > Susannah for Anna? I can imagine that a testator who said Susannah > could have been misheard as saying Anna -- but any other thoughts on > the possibility that Anna is Susannah? > > Or comments on whether or not Anna is in fact a rather odd name for > this period and place? > > Santa T.

Thanks to those who have replied. Both replies very helpful. I will give up on Susannah (except as a possible deathbed last gasp, but very unlikely!) Santa T. ----- Original Message ----- From: "ag.hamilton" <ag.hamilton@vfast.co.uk> To: <middlesex_county_uk@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 9:01 AM Subject: Re: [MDX] given name "Anna" > The only variant of Susanna(h) that I've seen is Susan. It's a > biblical name and distinct from Hannah. Hannah is also of Hebrew > origin and Anna is the Latin version. > I have plenty of ancestors called Anna (Anna Maria seems a popular > combination) in the late seventeen - early eighteen hundreds. There is > one who appears variously as Hannah or as Anna. > > Wikipedia has info. on the origins of these names. > > Angela > > > > On 28 Jun 2010, at 12:31 pm, Santa Traugott wrote: > >> I am looking for a woman named in a [Whitechapel] will of 1747 as >> "Anna Scott, widow." >> >> After staring at literally hundreds of names of Ann or Ann Scott, it >> has occurred to me that perhaps Anna is a relatively strange variation >> of this name. I know that IGI treats "Hannah" as a variation of Anne, >> and so perhaps Anna is really a Hannah. >> >> But could the same also be true of Susanna? Has anyone ever seen >> Susannah for Anna? I can imagine that a testator who said Susannah >> could have been misheard as saying Anna -- but any other thoughts on >> the possibility that Anna is Susannah? >> >> Or comments on whether or not Anna is in fact a rather odd name for >> this period and place? >> >> Santa T. > > ************************************** > Send your List messages using **PLAIN TEXT** and always **TRIM AWAY** > superfluous old messages in replies. > > List Admin can be contacted at: Middlesex_County_UK-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MIDDLESEX_COUNTY_UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >