This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: GordonPertJohnson Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.general/22276.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: There were two factors involved: 1. The Census was officially a UK-wide census, and the English fashion was to list the head of household, then all the rest in their relationship to the head, with the ASSUMPTION that the wife should be listed under her husband's surname; and thus widows would similarly appear under their deceased husband's surname (as was the practice for England. 2. In Scottish tradition, women retained their maiden surname throughout life (and most gravestones reflect this), so while there was pressure to use the English style, widows often preferred to return to their maiden surname for census purposes. A couple of days ago I found one in Caithness, a widow who had returned to live with her parents, and she appears under her maiden surname. It was thus a personal choice of the lady concerned, or of the head of household who was charged with filling in the census form (the schedule). Gordon Johnson, in Caithness. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.
could someone tell me what county Eccelsmachen Scotland is in Myrna-------------------------------------------------- From: <gc-gateway@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 2:49 AM To: <SCOTLAND-L@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [SCOTLAND] Widows - Do they go back to using their maiden namesin Scotland? > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Author: GordonPertJohnson > Surnames: > Classification: queries > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.general/22276.1/mb.ashx > > Message Board Post: > > There were two factors involved: > 1. The Census was officially a UK-wide census, and the English fashion was > to list the head of household, then all the rest in their relationship to > the head, with the ASSUMPTION that the wife should be listed under her > husband's surname; and thus widows would similarly appear under their > deceased husband's surname (as was the practice for England. > 2. In Scottish tradition, women retained their maiden surname throughout > life (and most gravestones reflect this), so while there was pressure to > use the English style, widows often preferred to return to their maiden > surname for census purposes. A couple of days ago I found one in > Caithness, a widow who had returned to live with her parents, and she > appears under her maiden surname. > It was thus a personal choice of the lady concerned, or of the head of > household who was charged with filling in the census form (the schedule). > Gordon Johnson, in Caithness. > > Important Note: > The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you > would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link > above and respond on the board. > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SCOTLAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >