Genealogy Chat

Every branch (dozens) of my Adam family seems to have changed their name to Adams around 1840 to 1850.

What could have caused such a universal and synchronised event?

Alistair

Cant spell....regional accents.....cannot read or write.....

I have Pool/Poole/Powel(brum accent)....Overs/Hovers(oxfordshire accent)....the list goes on n on.....

The Overs/Hovers are still the same Family to this day....but back in the 1700s it was HOVARD!

No wonder i dont know who i am! lol

Like all families.... just because they could ! They obviously did not understand that you would come along now and start looking for them... or maybe they did !!

Yes, but the odd thing is that they all changed within the space of a few years, although separated by fair distances. And they could read and write.

Alistair

Alistair, oh if only I had a minor change like an s added to the end of a name. I have names which are virtually restructured from one generation to the next. Surely you dont mean dozens of branches - merely dozens of people?

Where did you find this change? If on census records then it only means the transcriber or enumerator decided Adams with an s is much easy to say than one without it. It happens all the time even nowdays.

I have the same problem with Newbound been confused with Newbould don't half make it tough sometimes but we all need a challenge. this lark would be no fun if it was easy.
Julie

The enumerator came along with his note book and said to the head of family.
Who are you then?
and he replied
We're the Adams.

Illiterate people had no idea what was going down on the sheets.

Sue

There was a radio item recently about Y chromosome identities for different surnames (percentages of men whose chromosome and surname had both been inherited from "father" to son over the generations). They went on to explain that for names such as Jones, there would be no such link. Many Welshmen had been required to take a surname and had chosen Jones (or Hughes, or Davies, etc) as a patronymic-type surname, e.g. son of John, Hugh, David etc. Does anyone know whether this requirement was about that time? Since 1841 was the first time surnames were taken at the census, it might fit then - and might also explain a widespread sense that Adam "ought" to be Adams?

There is a passing casual reference here:

"Fixed family names are a recent introduction to Wales. Before they were imposed for legal purposes, patronymic surnames were used."

http://www.welshpedia.co.uk/wiki/wales/index.php?title=Welsh_Surnames

Well, I stick by my contention that it was happening it too many diverse places to be the work of a rogue enumerator.

Take a look in here....

http://www.adams-of-adamsrow.com/

My theory is that the famous name bearers of the 18th century were William Adam, Robert Adam, etc. whereas in the 19th century, along came John Adams, John Quincy Adams.

Alistair

Whatever the reason Alistair, Im sure it wont hinder your research :)

When I worked in the deepest Fens in the 1970s - I noticed that universallly ANY surname had an s bunged on the end of it - that is, Mr Young, became Mr Youngs, Miss Martin became Miss Martins - it was just accepted :)

Exactly Dot - I have one poor soul who has three different versions of his surname for his baptism/marriage and his burial :)