Genealogy Chat

Why do some of us have Nanas and others Grandmothers?
In Italy they use Nonna.
In France they use Grand-mere.
Anyone know the origins of Nana?
Thankyou

Grandmother is the correct description of the relationship.

Anything else is a diminutive..........

Reg

I had one Grandma and one Nanny (later Nan). I had a Grandad and a Pop.

My husband's family always called his grandparents Grannie and Granfer.

I'm not a grandmother yet but would prefer to be a Nanny than a Granny but my husband says nannies are paid childcarers.........his family are posher than mine! They actually had nannies and governesses a couple of generations ago.

I don't suppose it matters much what grandchildren call you so long as it is said with love!

Sue

I prefer Grandma,and I get the full great grandma from my 3 little great granddaughters.My daughter is also grandma.
When I was young,and every-one was more formal(like neighbours being called Mrs Surname,and NEVER Christian names),I called both my grandparents,grandma and granddad followed by each of their surnames.
Brenda x x

I've just become a grandmother, not that I wanted to.
My mother's mother was Nan, my husband's grandmother was Granny, his mother was Nan, I'm Grandma Jackie, so be it!

To add to the pot I had a Nan and still have a Mama! No particular reason apart from regional dialect!

It's personal preference I guess Orangecat.I am Grandma to my granddaughter but Nana (her choice) to my step-granddaughter so i get the best of both worlds :)

My mums mum i used to call Nan, my dads mum was always called Grandma.

Two Nan's,One Gramp's and one Grampy.

I had a Nannan and Grandpa on one side and Grandma and granddad on the other. it avoided confusions

I have a Gran(ny) and a Grandad.

Used to call my dads mum Next Granny.

My grt grandparents where Nana and Pawpa.

My cousins kids call there grandad, Papa.

My mum had two Granny Robertsons, so one was Lochend Granny and the other Restilrig Granny.

I suppose it depends what you feel confortable with and what you grew up with eg where you encouraged to call them granny or granma?

My paternal grandmother was "Gran" - always Gran, never Granny or Nanna or Grandma, just Gran. Any other name but Gran made her feel old and - even if you were only tiny - she would ignore you if you called her something other than Gran.

Interestingly, my aunty tells me that my great-grandma ("Gran's" mother in law) would only answer to Grandma. Sounds like she was very strict and had to be called "Grandma".

My maternal grandmother was "Grandma" to me - two of her nieces are still living (in their eighties and nineties now) and when I asked them about my great-grandma they referred to her as "Grandma Rowland".

Thanks all,
I was lucky enough to know my two Nanas and one Great Grandma.
My husband finds the term Nana unusual, ( his upbringing was posh and he had a nanny ) and we were curious to its origins?
Saying that; he calls his Grandmother "Gummy".....don't ask!!
OC

Both my Grandmothers were Grandma plus their surname to me, my one Grandfather was Grandpa plus surname. My paternal Grandmother was Nana to my cousins, my Dads brothers' children.

I am Nana to all our Grandchildren (my choice because I prefer it) and OH is Granddad. Daughters boys call their Dad's Mum Grandma and son's children call their Mum's parents Granny and Granddad.

I think it is all down to personal choice, I didn't want Grandma being only 48 when the first Grandchild was born it made me feel too old, both my grandmas were older in age and ways.

Ann
Glos

I like nan. When the children were tiny it was granny, now they are older it is nan. My great grandson calls me Katey nanny, because he was becoming confused that a "strange" woman was refered to as his nan.

Kathlyn

I called my grandmothers Nana and grandfathers Grandad. I always thought that Nana is more common in the north. My ancestors hail from Yorks, Lancs and Lincs. Or maybe it's a class thing.
Helen

We are Nanny and Grandan to our 2 Grandchildren, the other set of Grandparents are called Little Nanny and Grandad, Our granddaughter has always called him Grandan, reasons only known to herself:)

My Mum they call Nana but she is also called Nana by her Australian Grandchildren and Granma by the Ozzie and Spanish Great grandchildren very confusing at times.

My Nan or Granma as we had to call her used to slap us around the head if we called her Nan or Nanny stating "Nanny's are employed people, I am your Grandmother! " we loved to tease her and run away before she could catch us:)) , never had a Grandfather they both died WW2

My Granma I believe may give the reason for the difference.

My grandmother was granny or gran, my mum is nanna, when my grand daughter first came along, I was granny maggie, but when gran died, I was elevated to just granny!!
Dad's mum was also called granny, but referred to as granny D.....
My grand daughter hasn't got a grandmother on her father's side - well she has, but her father hasn't seen her since he was 5, but daughter has a new partner and grand daughter calls his mum Nanny Net.

Both my grandfathers died before I was born, but I refer to both as Gandad S and grandad D.
Grand daughter calls my ex Pops.

maggie

My paternal grandmother was Nana, & she came from Lincolnshire. My maternal grandmother was Granny & she came from Cornwall. They were pretty well equal on the social scale.

I only knew one grandfather & he was always Grandad.

Ozi.

My dad's parents were Granny and Grandpa
Mum's - Grandma and Grandad.

My dad insists that when I have kids he will be Grandpa, whereas Mum insists she'll be Grandma not Granny! lol

Personal choice and regional dialects too I guess

Laura