Genealogy Chat

ARGH! All my dad's ancestors are Welsh. These are the surnames I have so far: Jones, Hughes, Evans, Lewis, Davies, Llewellyn. Just waiting for the Morgans and Owens to turn up now. Unusual first names might help but no, they're all called David, Thomas or William. No wonder I've been having problems... I've wasted time on at least four false scents already and I've only been doing this a few weeks. And then there's the dates and places of birth, which frequently changed between censuses, and the annoying habit most of them had of appearing under one name on their birth certificates and a different one by the time they got married... *gnashes teeth, bangs head against brick wall* Rant over, but feel free to add your own frustrations.

ive got Davies and Llewellyn and Smith - hope that makes you feel better.........:-)

I've got Davies from Cowbridge but I've also got Smith's from anywhere and everywhere and the Baileys are not much better. Think I've just found another Welsh rellie - waiting on the cert tho!! I notice you haven't got any Edwards YET LOL Jan xx

At least you've got 6 surnames. My husband's Welsh lot only have 4 - Evans, Jones, Thomas and Williams. And they enjoy calling their children Evan Evans, Thomas Thomas and William Williams! They are all coal miners, they all marry Mary Jones or Mary Williams or Mary Thomas or Mary Evans and they all live in the same pigging street! nell

I have 'davies' and 'jones' so that narrows it down!! if you have 'roberts' and 'pritchards' then were in!

It's nice to know I'm not alone, although I'm not sure if having four ridiculously common surnames is any improvement on having six. Mine are usually either carpenters or miners (at least, those who don't keep changing jobs between censuses are) and most of the women are called Gwenllian or Mary. There's two Joneses who married each other, resulting in an entry of 'Jones, formerly Jones' on a birth cert, and just for good measure their son went and married someone with the same name as his mum. I have two Edwards, but they're both on the opposite side of the family, come from Leicestershire and it's their first name.

My tree has Lewis's and Cheeseman's on both sides and my partners has Thomas's marrying Thomas's so you aren't alone.What's more another lot are illegitmate and change names from their mothers to fathers between each census......arrgh! Kim

Michael Here's a sample of my husband's tree: grandma Mabel Thomas her parents: John Thomas and Amelia Williams Amelia's parents: Thomas Williams and Jennet grandfather Edward Evans his parents: Jenkin Evans (parents John Evans and Mary Jones) and Margaret Jones (parents Evan Jones & Mary) Any idea how many Thomas Williams married girls called Jennet in Glamorgan around about 1875?!! As you can see, being mean, they liked to use the same names as first names and surnames. Husband has 4 aunts - two of them married men called Rees who aren't related and one married yet another Williams! Husband has cousin (male) called Lyn Rees. He was once in church when the banns were called for a marriage between Lyn Rees and Lynne Rees, and neither of them were related to cousin! nell

My hubbys ancestors come from Wales. His Grandfather Davies married a Davies - nightmare. I can't seem to get anywhere.

Well, I have a Thomas Williams who married a Catherine Williams both from Glamorgan. Catherine's father was called William Williams and a brother also called Thomas Williams. Thomas Williams' father was called Thomas Williams and he had a brother called William Williams. Thomas and Catherine had a daughter who married Thomas Henry Morris and they had a son called Thomas Henry Morris who had a son called Thomas Henry Morris. Aaaaarrrrgh!!! Susan

My Herefordshire JONES moved to South Wales, ( as if they didn't have enough there already) They liked to marry MORGAN or DAVIES but I have relatives PARRY and JENKINS to sort out too. Strangely though it's my Southampton based JONES on the other side of my family, which are causing more problems.

Can I have a little rant- people posting on the brickwall thread,and then buggering off for hours-as if we are minions. Advice=stick around and people help,bugger off and I'll help the one who comes in later or I'll switch the machine off. You need to be around to answer queries,which speed up the search process. Thats better :-))

I've got Jones on both sides of my tree who both married Morrises!!! On top of that my Mum was a Foundling so no one wants to own up to the fact that he Mum gave birth to her at all.

Oh dear Michael,
I have just read your message and laughed - I'm sorry!
I live in South Wales and for the past year I've been trying to help someone living in another part of the country with her family.
The other problem you will have is county border changes. On one census you'll be looking in one county, and then 10 years later you could be looking in another area, AND street names tend to be repeated from village to village.
I have a good map book for the area which helps, but good luck to you all.

I am Evans, we have married Jones (who have been married to Evans) and Williams who have married Davies who have married Evans who married Williams who married Lewis who married Evans ......... wish I'd taken up trainspotting

Anyone got a Mazeppa Williams ?

Joan

I thought a Mazeppa was a Japanese car !

Hi Philip
He may as well be !
Do you think I should look in the garage ?

Honestly; Mazeppa Williams was my dad's uncle born turn of the century in wait for it..........Lancashire !

Ah yes a good old Lancashire name was Mazeppa !

You would think it easy to find him then wouldn't you.
But I can't !