quering a surname.....

laineywoo · Post by **laineywoo** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:03 pm

Hello
This is my first posting, and I hope you dont think I'm too silly!
I have found my 3 x great grandparents death certs, and I am having problems knowing where to look next. My gr grans surname on her sons death cert reads Maitland, on her own death cert Meikleham, and on the OPRs there are two weddings listed with in one day of each other, 1 as David Kay married to Mary Meiklem in Barony and 1 as David Kay married to Mary Maiklem in Old or West Kilpatrick..........how do I now know which name is the proper version?

and therefore know where to start looking next??? Very confused here!

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:42 pm

Hi Laineywoo,

Welcome to TalkingScot.

The two marriage entries are probably both correct and refer to the same couple. They will refer to the calling of the banns, probably in both the bride's home parish and in the groom's home parish. That is quite common to find in the OPRs.

As for which spelling is correct, that is an open question. The spoken word was often more important than the written word in these days, so the name can easily be found spelled in many different ways, depending on factors such as, who wrote it, and what accent was used by the person telling the writer.

As for the surname being different on the son's death certificate, that need not be an issue. Is the informant of the death likely to have known the deceased's mother's maiden surname with any accuracy? Often the answer is "no" as this person is too young to have known the lady that well, and only heard the name in conversation, so did his best at the time of registering the death.

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

Post by **joette** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:51 pm

Hi Laineywoo just to let you know that we specialise in silly questions on this site.Everybody has to aquire the knowledge & before you know it you will be answering other peoples silly questions!

laineywoo · Post by **laineywoo** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:55 pm

Thank You Andrew! At least I know I am on the right track

I suppose this means I just have to keep checking all possible variations of the name in OPRs, which I think must mean a trip through towards Easterhouse way, where I assume a regsitrars office will hold the records, or possibly look at the cemetaries to see what names they are buried under.
Thanks again
Lainey

laineywoo · Post by **laineywoo** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:58 pm

Hi Joette
Thank you for making me welcome! Not a complete novice - just sometimes end up confusing myself lol. In this case, I have been looking for a non existant Mary Maitland for approx 2 years...........Need I say more??

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:59 pm

Hi laineywoo

A parent check only turns up Jean Kay born in 1843 Old Monkland....but a look on the BIVRI shows another possible...

KAY, Jean Bir 1843 Scot Lana OlMonk
Fa: David KAY
Mo: Mary MEIKLEHAM
KAY, David Bir 1848 Scot Lana OlMonk
Fa: David KAY
Mo: Mary MALCOLM

I'm not certain this is the same couple or even your correct family...but it looks worthy of checking out. Maybe they were even still in Old Monkland for the 1851 census. Just remember...keep a very open mind when it comes to the spelling. Like Andrew said above the spoken word was easier than the written word!

Best wishes
Jean

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:02 pm

laineywoo wrote:... I suppose this means I just have to keep checking all possible variations of the name in OPRs, which I think must mean a trip through towards Easterhouse way, where I assume a regsitrars office will hold the records, or possibly look at the cemetaries to see what names they are buried under.

Hi Lainey,

If you are looking for pre-1855 records - the OPRs - and you are in the Glasgow area, then the best place for you to view these is in the Mitchell Library. They hold the OPRs and censuses on microfilm for most (all?) of the former Strathclyde Region counties, plus more. Their holdings can be found on their website, whose address can be found on TalkingScot's "Libraries" page - click on the link at the top of this page to get there.

For the 1855 onwards records, you have the choice of www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk ; New Register House, Edinburgh; or Park Circus, Glasgow.

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

laineywoo · Post by **laineywoo** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:51 pm

Hi Jean
Thank you very much. Could be likely as Davids date of birth going by wedding and death certs and census' is around 1849 which would follow with what you have just said. As their is so many variations of Marys name, I assume that Malcolm could be yet another. But again this will depend on if i find the OPRs for David. I do have his marriage and death certs but they def dont have Malcolm on.. I will see if I can find a death cert for the Jean Kay (which is certainly a family name) maybe there will be something further there!
Thanks again, everyone is being so kind
Lainey

laineywoo · Post by **laineywoo** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:53 pm

Andrew
That is great thanks. It is a place I have never heard of I have to admit. Most of my family are from Polmont and generally Falkirk areas, so I only was aware of Callendar House here and Edinburgh R O.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:11 pm

Hi Lainey,
Names are from indexes, and it seems Mary was as Margret in 1851.
As Andrew mentioned, you could look at the films in The Mitchell Library.
(the staff are also very helpful)
--
1851 cens 652 (637) Ed 34 p 41 (Old Monkland)
David KAY, 46, b Old Monkland
Margret KAY, 43, b ditto
Jane KAY, 8, b ditto
David KAY, 2, b ditto
--
1861 cens 652-1 Ed 9 p 31 (Old Monkland)
David KAY, 58
Mary KAY, 52
Jane KAY, 17
David KAY, 12
--
Jack