Genealogy Chat

Allan has a point - there are certain nicknames associated with surnames many of them from seafarers - ('Chalkie ' White etc) a list of those would be useful.
Many of us 'older uns' don't realise that anyone under 40 may not realise that, for example, someone with the surname Tanner may be known as 'Bob'.
A Tanner was sixpence in old money, sixpence was half of a shilling - coloqually known as a 'bob'. Hence many with the surname Tanner were known as 'Bob'.
Here's a good site for naval slang - though they have a different (more modern) forename for Tanner:

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/training-and-people/rn-life/navy-slang/naval-surnames-adams-cooper/

i have auntie sissy-[sarah]
and auntie lily- [elizabeth]

Seems to me we've got at least five separate categories here:

1. The common familiar forms of more formal names, e.g. Meg or Peggy for Margaret

2. "Standard" nicknames that come from surnames, e.g someone named Bird gets known as Dickie even if his name isn't Richard, or one named White gets known as Chalky.

3. Names associated with occupations, the obvious one Bob or Bobby for a policeman (and a railway signalman as they originated as policemen).

4. Names from personal foibles or habits. School teachers might be known as Chuck from throwing chalk or the board rubber at those misbehaving. Although I remember one called Chuck from his habit of chuckling when he gave anyone lines or a detention.

5. All the rest - totally unpredictable, like Susan's Auntie Dot.

Elizabeth,Beth,Betty Eliza Liz Lizzy Iiza,.
Hannah,Anna,Anne,Anny,Annie Nan
Sarah,Sally,Sal
Teresa,Tess,Terry
Margaret,Meg Peg,Peggy
William,Will,Willie,Bill,Billy
Johnathon, John, Jack, Johnny, Jon
George Juddy Jud

All just of the top.

My names Julie but known as Jules..
My husband is Keith but known as Pat,
My father in law is Michael but known as Ian..
My nan was Edith but known as Grace....

The list is endless really lol x

How about my new son-in-law's family. Every generation for the past five had a sibling called Sis.

That applied to Maggie, Ellen, Theodora, Rosemary and Judith. And Judith had no siblings at all.

Odd eh?

Margaret

My G grandad's birth took 2 years to find.
He was on my grans birth cert as Sidney, his marirage cert as Sidney, the 1901 census as Sidney - but his name was Gifford! What made it even hrder was the fact that his brothers (christened Ivor and Sylvanus) used the names Frederick and Herbert - and they ARE the right family!

My g aunt Nel was really Alice
2nd cousins Dinkie and Twinky (I kid you not - well into their 60's now too)aren't registered as that!

My GG aunt Bella was really Ethelrinda. my G gran Amelia was really Agnes.
I could go on......

No rhyme, no reason, just a pain in the wotsit!!

However, my daughter's g aunt Barbite - that's because her nephew couldn't pronounce her name - Margaret

.....and my grandson calls me granny Meow - as I have cats!

Paul,
I've had an Uncle Bimbo, in my fam. his real name was David Gwyn ----, don't know if that's any help to you though.
I've an Eleanor who was known as Nelly, a Gwilym who was Bill or Willie,
a Elizabeth known as Eliza, and one as Betty, a Alfred who I spent ages looking for, only to find he used his middle name of Charlie, a Moses known as Jack, a Mary known as Aunt Pops, and a Florence known as Aunt Babs. (and this lot only go back as far as 1844)!!
Regards,

ShelleyRose x

mary ann - polly

My Uncle Fred was known as Bronco
My dad was known as Simmo when he was in the RN
Aunty Peg was actually Elizabeth
Uncle Jim had been baptised Ernest James
Grandfather John was always known as Jack

And that's only the ones of "my" generation. If the earlier ones all had totally daft nicknames I will never find them! They are a bunch of nuisances and maybe we should all promise to always use our full given names on each and every form we complete from now on!! Although, having said that, I would not tell a living soul my middle name!

Jill

My nan was Marian Bessie Roath, but everyone called her Peg.
And Selina Foxon was known as Dorothy - her middle name.
cheers,
Jill

I spent ages looking for a great great aunt who was always known as "Auntie Dot". I assumed her name was Dorothy and couldn't find her anywhere!
Then by chance I mentioned her to a relative who said her real name was something quite different; she had been nicknamed "little dot" by her siblings as she was the youngest of the family. When she grew up she didn't like either of her real christian names so she stuck with Dot!
You can't assume anything!

I guess a none starter....LOL...
Oh well worth a mention..you never know. :)

Paul x

Know what you mean:-
Joseph - Sonny
Herbert - Jo
Ellen - Nelly
Annise - Edna
Isabella - Flossie
Leslie - Jack
And it goes on and on, trying to find these people has been a headache lol

Regards

Amber

Paul
Im afraid it could be never ending

I have an Iris known as Marie and Herbert known as Dave, Susan married as Rose..Arthur known as Richard ..William sometimes known as Alfred. Edith known as Sally
Then theres all the ones who used their middle names but only sometimes. Then theres the commonly known as Mary as Molly.. Dorothy as Dolly etc
It's a minefield out there lol

Anyone here ever put together a list of nicknames and the associated names they come from?

This could be very helpful as my family seem to use alot of nicknames instead of folks real names which make thing very difficut when it comes to searching.
I have an uncle whom I've always know as Bimbo.
I don't know his real name. Surley not his real name?
Plus a cousin I've always know as Lulu..yet I have now found thats not her real name. My fathers siblings called him Fred..even though thats not his real name.
See what I mean?