Patronymics problem

[Quarryman]

Have hit a patronymics brick wall. Looking for birth of a Harry Roberts in Llanbedr y Cennin in 1741.
Only one I can find is Harry Jones, only Harry in that year (as far as I can see) in the whole of Gwynedd.  Is it possible that Harry Jones' father was Robert Jones or John Roberts, or am I completely off track?

[Ellenmai]

There is a Harris Roberts on the Caernarvonshire Buriels Register who was buried 29/1/1798 in Llanbedr Y Cennin. The date of birth has been left blank so I'm not sure if this is who you are looking for.

Kind Regards,

Ellen

[Quarryman]

Thanks ellenmai,

My Harry was buried in Llanllechidd in 1836 aged 94!

[carol8353]

Harry is usually a pet name for someone called Henry.
I didn't know my grandad's name was really Henry till I started doing my family tree!

[Quarryman]

I ran into the same problem some years ago. The explanation I was given was that anglican clergy  (and some other officials) in the 1700s and 1800s were usually English and 'translated' the Welsh Harri/Harry into Henry. Some of my ancestors are called Harri/Harry/Henry on different documents all pertaining to the same person. One other problem I have is that my g-grandfather, g-g-grandfather and g-g-g-grandfather were all called Harry/Henry. One Welsh genealogist attributed this to two things - a) naming the eldest son after his grandfather, and b) laziness when looking for a suitable name!

[pinot]

My great-uncle was baptised Henry, like his father, and so appears on his first census; 10 years later, lodging with his uncle, he is listed as Harry, which is how he was called in the family.

[Huwcyn]

I think its likely that his father was called Robert 'something' . Do you know what all his sons were called ? - one of the two eldest were very, very often named after their grandfather.

[Quarryman]

Hi huwcyn,

That's the line I'm following, but haven't really got down to the spadework yet.