Is It possible names get mixed up

Carolann · Post by **Carolann** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:18 pm

Can anyone advise if it is possible to get names mixed up. My GGGrandparents were William France and Janet Taylor. Janet died 1865 in Greenock and her death cert stated she was 70, therefore born about 1793. Here parents stated on cert were William Taylor and Janet Threepenny. Tried to trace a birth cert for Janet France (nee Taylor) but have been unable to. A further search and I came across a cert for a Janet Taylor born May 1790 in Muiravonside - think around the same area from where she came and the parents were listed as William Taylor and Margaret TRIPENNY. Is it at all possible the names could have changed or I am just hoping I have found them.

Thanks

Post by **emanday** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:30 pm

Hi Carol,

I would say the chances are pretty good that this is your lady. Spelling wasn't as important back then as it is now and whoever made the entry simply wrote what he heard, or thought he heard. If her parents were illiterate they wouldn't have known either way.

I can see why Threepenny might have been taken as Tripenny.

Post by **SarahND** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:35 pm

Hi Carol,
Who signed her death certificate? Since she lived to a good age, it was likely to be someone who had never known her parents. The change from Margaret to Janet is highly likely because the woman herself was called Janet. The informant might have thought she was named after her mother, or simply have accidentally given her first name instead of he mother's. As for Tripenny > Threepenny, that is really no change at all–– just different spelling for the same name. By the time she died people were beginning to be concerned about spelling and would have interpreted the name as a combination of three + penny as they were now spelled. No problem at all with that one. It's a very unusual name!
Regards,
Sarah

Snap, Mary!

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:39 pm

Anyone taking bets

Given the most unusual nature of the THREEPENNY/TRIPENNY surnames, for me has to be odds-on a fit.

David

killearnan · Post by **killearnan** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:35 pm

I'd believe it, says someone who spent months (based on a marriage record) looking for a woman with the maiden name Little -- only to find out from deed/probate records that she belonged to another family also resident in the same area........with the surname Small.

Absentminded minister anyone?:roll:

BJ

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:41 pm

killearnan wrote:I'd believe it, says someone who spent months (based on a marriage record) looking for a woman with the maiden name Little -- only to find out from deed/probate records that she belonged to another family also resident in the same area........with the surname Small.

Absentminded minister anyone?:roll:

BJ

Guid job Ah didnae hiv a moothfoo o coffee, or e'en alcoholic liquors

, o'erwise Ah'd hae contaminated ma keyboard, ken ............

LITTLE/SMALL just has to be an absolute classic in terms of such confusion .............................................

David

Carolann · Post by **Carolann** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:49 pm

Hi Everyone

Thank you for all your comments. Sarah, it was her son-in-law who put his mark on the death certificate and who also came from Germany so it is possible that this maybe her. I have spent quite a long time searching for this trace and so glad I have found it.

thanks everyone.

Carol

PS Sarah, are you the same lady I contacted about James King!!!!!

Post by **SarahND** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:14 pm

Carolann wrote:PS Sarah, are you the same lady I contacted about James King!!!!!

Yup, that's me

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:13 am

Carolann

You said the informant was a son-in-law from Germany, now there is a good reason for an error on the certificate. It is bad enough having a son-in-law who is local being the informant

Carolann · Post by **Carolann** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 1:23 pm

Hi StewL

I know - I have been trying to trace this since I don't know how long and just the other night going through my previous searches this caught my eye Janet Taylor b 22 May 1790 parents William Taylor/Margaret Tripeny and the PENNY dropped - could it be. Checking the d/cert for for Janet Taylor (nee Threepenny) I wondered. Her son-in-law Charles Frederick b Berlin thats all I know - couldn't even write never mind how to speak/spell LOL. Anyway thanks and I definetly think it is the parents

Cheers everyone

Carol