Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history) Family History Local History

My GRACE family name may not be a genetic family name but an orphan or church foundling name. I am therefore interested in any historical information on how orphans were handled around the time my 3xGGF was born in 1811/1812, especially in the Colchester area.
(Please also refer to my GRACE Family posting).

I understand orphans handled by the church were often given religious significant surnames such as TEMPLE and perhaps in my case, GRACE.

On all the above cases, where would such documentation exist to say such and such a child had been given this name?

My 3xGGF's first name is Jeremiah. I had thought this suggested some Non-Conformist connections, but it is the name of a prophet.

Thanks for any historical clues that may help a 30-year quest.

Regards,
Mark Grace

Hello Mark

The evidence would be in the baptism register of the church in whose parish a foundling was discovered. Alternatively, if he came from the foundling hospital in London in the 18th and 19th century the evidence would be in Foundling Hospital Records at what used to be the Greater London Record Office or Coram Charity in London. It had its own chapel.

Foundlings were normally sent out of towns to country parishes to be nursed and returned to the home parish when old enough to be apprenticed. If they came from London the foundlings would normally be given the christian name of either a saint or biblical figure and the surname of the church. If you have found him in marriage or burial records it often mentions this in the parish register of the parish he was sent to.

There is a church in the city of London St Something Gracechurch(sorry can't remember full name) it might be worth looking there. Though Gracechurch would be more likely. He may have decided to drop the second part and call himself Grace. In the Colchester area there may be a parish which routinely gave foundlings that name as a surname. It would be a question or searching through baptism registers to find out. Occasionally foundling were taken into private homes and adopted and given any name at will in which case there will probably be no firm evidence I'm afraid.

Foundlings were sent vast distances outside towns including up the Yorkshire or Somerset from London not just to local parishes. If found in rural parishes they often stayed in the parish and were nursed by Parish nurses. In that case evidence would be in the register and in any church papers to do with paupers. London Parishes mention them in such things as Vestry Minutes and Churchwardens accounts.

Hope this helps
Valerie