Genealogy Chat

Thank you everyone for replying. You had great suggestions, and I really appreciate hearing everyone's views. However, today a GC member (won't post his name until I get his permission) found some documents that suggest there was a Jane AND a Jennie. I hope to post "our" finds as soon as I sort everything out. In the meantime, thank you for your thoughts -- just reinforces that people didn't always use their given names!

Yes. My paternal grandmother, born 1896 was registered as Jane but always known as Jenny. Her daughter Jane was known as Cissie but think this came from sister.

I have a Jane Wood in my tree who was always known as Jenny. Also a Jane Ogan who was known as Ginny. Both are from the 1800's in the London area. Hilary

Sorry to add confusion, but people were definitely christened Jennie - have a look on Free BMD with no surname, just first name Jennie!! I have a Jennie Elizabeth Jennings born in 1891, died 1893, then (in the same family) Jennie May V Jennings born 1895. There are others on there too. What was this Jennie's surname and dates - you never know!! Maz. XX

It is possibly a mis-hearing of 'Janie', which is the name my friend Jane goes by.

I have 2 relatives, Christend Jane but called Jennie/Jenny and it's sometimes different on the census. Jo

Yes it is. I have two people in my tree christened Jane who were know as Jennie (pronounced "ginny"). One was my aunt who I knew for 30 years.

Lisa, I think that people used to (probably still do) use 'pet' names and this can cause confusion to researchers. Jennie could be short for Jennifer, possibly Jane for some reason or for an unrelated name altogether. My father for example was Albert Edward but known to everyone, except his IMMEDIATE family, as JIM. I never found out why...but a problem arose when it became known that he had an elder brother named James! When we spoke to a, then surviving, sister about this she replied that he, my dad, was always known as Bert or Bertie(Albert). Names are funny things but I hope that you sort Jennie out, eventually.

I know several people called "Jennie" and Jenny". For some that is the name they were given by their parents, for others it's an abbreviation for Jennifer. I don't think it's connected to "Jane".

I have an ancestor named Jane Ovens who was named after her mother. However, there is a Jennie buried in the Ovens' plot who has the same year of birth as Jane, the daughter. Is Jennie another version of Jane, or could she just have been known by her middle name? ("Jennie" passed away when she was 37; her "mother" passed away when she was 105.) I would appreciate any advice.