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is RALPH short for ALFRED?

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Julie

Julie Report 28 Aug 2003 23:07

Hi, I've just received my grandmother's birth certificate, and it shows her father as Alfred Cook. However, her marriage certificates shows her father as Ralph cook. Could anyone let me know if Ralph is commonly used as a version of Alfred? Also, her mother's maiden name looks like CONTENCIN or CONFENCIN - any ideas on other (more common) possibilities? Many thanks Julie

Janet

Janet Report 28 Aug 2003 23:12

Constantine? Jan

Crista

Crista Report 28 Aug 2003 23:14

Julie, As far as I know Ralph is its on name and not short for anything. In what district and year was you Grandmother born? It might help to narrow down the surname. Crista

Anthony

Anthony Report 28 Aug 2003 23:18

Julie, I haven't come across Ralph as a shortening of Alfred, but Ralph possibly sounds like Alf to a registrar with a hearing impediment. Particularly if your predecessors were illiterate and / or didn't spot the mistake when it was being made. Regards Tony

Katinahat

Katinahat Report 28 Aug 2003 23:19

Julie I have a similar query with my maternal grandmother's birth and marriage certificates. Father named as George on birth and John on marriage! Good luck Kathy Epsom, SRY

Julie

Julie Report 28 Aug 2003 23:20

my grandmother (Rosina Annie Cook) was born in Chiswick (Brentford) in Middlesex, in January 1906. I've checked possible marriages for Alfred Cook on Free BMD but found nothing similar to Contencin when cross-referencing with the spouses. It does sound like Constantine - but it's definitely not Constantine written on the cert.

Crista

Crista Report 28 Aug 2003 23:41

Julie, Looking through FreeBMD there are some Contencins in the London area, so you are probably reading the name correctly. I think it is French. Do you know when they married? Crista

Julie

Julie Report 29 Aug 2003 00:24

thanks everyone - I did check Free BMD earlier - but it must have been playing up. Have since found the Contencin's, although none are the ones I wanted. Then used the census decoder to find my g.grandmother and g.g.grandmother. Both references to my g.grandmother's wedding were on the same indes page, i.e. COOK AND CONTENCIN!! Never had a search go that easily!