Genealogy Chat

Please tell me I am not a descendant of an Onion!! See below .......

On my gt grandma's birth cert in NSW in 1859, her mother was written as Jane Onan from Scotland. I have searched this name on Family Search & only get Onions !!! Are there any Scots out there who might have a different spelling for the pronounciation of Onan ???? OR...is a common name in Scotland????

hi Karen, it's not a name I've ever heard before. There's only one Onan on the 1881 census for Scotland ONAN, Hatcher Border <1836> Birth: Stanley, Perth Christine

there is this chap in the 1871 census Elizabeth Onan 1831 Thesere Alford Wife Toxteth Lancashire Elizabeth Onan 1862 Liverpool Daughter Toxteth Lancashire John S Onan 1822 Greenock, Scotland Head Toxteth Lancashire

Could be Irish? 1. ALEXANDER ONAN - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Marriage: 18 MAR 1831 Middle Church, Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland 2. Alexander J. Onan - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 1791 , , Ireland 3. ALICE ONAN - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Birth: 31 MAR 1871 , Waterford, Ireland

Thank everyone.......at least I know it is probably the correct name. It should be easier to trace than Smith then!! Thank goodness I am not an Onion !!

Hi Karen, have you seen this site? http://www.onanfamily.org/ Hope it's useful Christine

hmmmmm.Alexander & Hatcher (!?!?) look interesting. As does John. At least they are from Scotland and born around the right era. I figure Jane Onan would have been born abt 1831

wooohooo A web site! Thanks Christine...I'll go & check it out

Oh dear........ 'The present ONAN or O'NAN is French from a Huguenot family named AUNAN(T).'

Just had a look at it Karen and it appears to be mostly American, so maybe not much use after all. But it does give a few clues where the name originated from! Christine

There are only two Onan's on the Scotlands people site.... 1 birth in the old parish records and one on the 1881 census. There are 39 Onions on the site though...... 2 births in Old Parish Records. 1 Marriage in old parish records. 13 births after 1855. 8 marriages after 1855. 11 Deaths after 1855. 4 in 1891 census. Oh and there are 36 carrot's, 10 cabbage's and 1 spud!! I'm deadly serious too!! Shaz x

LOL Shaz ! How funny is that ! I am wondering if there is a name that could be written as Onan by an Aussie who heard & Scottish person saying it.

GUESS WHAT ?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I just found 4 children on NSW BMD to.................... Alexander & Margaret ONAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wooooooooohooooooooo It has to be the same Alexander & Margaret as posted above...........surely !! First child was born in 1838.........does that give them enough time to get to Aust???

Well done Karen, sounds promising! Good luck Christine

ohhhhhhhh........I am a pig in mud......... Just found Jane Onan's death record........... parents.......Alexander & Margaret !!!!! yeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I guess this means that Alexander wasn't born in Scotland?? Should I check Irish records now?? (shudder at the thought) Or even French !?!?

Ummmm Karen, I think I'd rather be descended from an Onion- see the bible for what Onan is accused of LOL maggie

Oh no !! Is Onan bad ?!!?!?!?! What did he do???

Karen I think the answer to that might explain why there aren't very many people owning the surname.