Genealogy Chat

You might have some luck with your search at www(.)familysearch(.)org.

Kathryn, I had a look on the 1891 census there is William Herrick wife Alice his age is 33 a brass caster born Birmingham. Is this him? If so it might help with the year of birth. Emma.

I suspect he had a brother named Patrick and sisters named Mary and Helena, but I don't know (incidently, they WERE registered!). It is all rather complex. You see, according to the 1881 census, there are only a handful of Herrick households in Aston. There is only one where the couple are over 45 and the man there is John Herrick - and William's father was named John. My theory is that John Herrick was the father of all the twentysomething Herricks born and living in Aston. I will try the IGI though. Are they still adding to that or not?

Kathryn, Do you happen to know of any brothers or sisters? I ask that because my grandfather was born 1856 (coincidently) I found him on the 1881 census lodging with this couple, I had his marriage certificate, but couldn't find his birth certificate. On the 1881 census,the wife was born in the same place as my grandfather so I thought she could possibly be his sister, but I couln't find her birth either. After 9 months,I found her name had been spelt incorrectly on her marriage certificate, but it wasn't the same name as my grandfather. I tried for her birth on the IGI, did the batch search and came up with the whole family, including my grandfather. He had changed his surname sometime between 1856 and 1881, for what reason I would like to know. The moral behind this, if you know the name of a sibling, try to find their birth on the IGI,then do a batch search and cross your fingers! Hope this works for you June

Thanks everyone. I checked all the variations of the name on 1837online for April-December 1856. In desperation I looked at all the William births in Aston in a ten-year period on FreeBMD and found nothing that looked like a mistranscription. If he was lying about his age, he kept it consistant as he appears exactly ten years older on every census return!

Kathryn- me again! I checked the Herrick births on the 1837 website for years 1856/7 with no joy. As the text was hardly legible there is a possibility I may not have spotted your William Herrick. Sorry Aileen

Kathryn and everyone else. Before searching Free BMD always check the coverage page. If you check 1855/6 births you will see that only about 3% have been indexed so there is a very good chance of everyone finding nothing.Saves wasting time. Bob

I found a William HERRICK born Dec 1860 Blaby (7a 4) William Joseph HERRICK born Dec 1861 Birmingham (6d 135) Both on FreeBMD Aileen xx Ps have you tried www(.) 1837online(.)com ?

Hello Kathryn..still not found him?? What about Derrick? I have heard that surname before but didn't think of that variation the other day when you wrote. Aileenx

I am frantically searching for the birth of William Herrick. He was 24 on the 1881 census (b.1857) and 21 on his October 1877 marriage cert (b.1856). Therefore he must have been born April-October 1856, right? Or is my maths wrong? I have looked under Herrick, Merrick, Merick, Eric and Errick. Not only are there no Williams, but htere aren't even any boys born in Aston or Birmingham with those surnames. Now I'm stuck. I can't think of many more variations - Werrick, perhaps? There is a William Dewick b.1860 Aston on FreeBMD, but surely this cannot be him?

Please see below.