KEIGHTLEY + RUDKIN

[Annie65115]

This has been touched on in other threads but I still feel it's a mystery, + wondered if any new RCers or new sources could shed new light.

Keightley (Keatley, Kightly etc etc) was a common middle name for RUDKIN men for generations; but where did it come from? Ancestry trees suggest a couple of possibilities but I don't think they are correct, and they don't seem to have any evidence.

Here's what I know:
the first Keightley I can find was Roderick K Rudkin, b 1780, Newtown Linford. (but I can't find his baptism). By 1800 he lived in Blaby and used the middle name Keightley (according to poll books). Various of his descendants continued to use Keightley as part of their names.

Roderick's parents were presumably Benjamin Rudkin and Dorothy nee Bethany, who were having Rudkin children in NL in the relevant timeframe. Dorothy allegedly came from Rothley, and married Benjamin in 1766 in Newtown Linford. No further info re Dorothy other than her death in 1780 (?linked to Roderick's birth?)

Benjamin was born 1733 in Newtown Linford, illegitimate son of Elisabeth Rudkin. I cannot find any mention of Keightley used by Benjamin during his lifetime. As well as Dorothy, he also married Elizabeth Shicklewood, 1756 (no children) and Sarah Fosberry (1787 - she would have been Roderick's stepmother).

I've seen suggestions that Benjamin's mother m James Keightley. I can't find any evidence of this. I believe Elisabeth Rudkin was b 1712 in Quorndon and have further ancestors for her with no mention of Keightley. I have settlement papers for Benjamin and his first wife acknowledging them to be be legally settled in and inhabitants of Quorndon, dated 1757. I can't find any Keightley link with Quorndon.

So the first proven use I've found of Keightley is by Roderick in 1800, despite ancestry trees suggesting different and much earlier uses. Does anyone have, or can anyone find, any other info?

[diddymiller]

have you seen all the original PRs for the dates you give?  if not I have access to Quorn/ Rothley at Loughborough library.

Diddy

[gc1]

For information from LDS

Name:    Samuel Rudkin
Gender:    Male
Christening Date:    14 Mar 1807
Christening Place:    BLABY,LEICESTER,ENGLAND
Father's Name:    Roderick Rudkin
Mother's Name:    Mary Kightley

[Annie65115]

The dates I've given are those that I've been able to check on the PRs myself.

I know it says that on IGI but I think it's one of those IGI suppositions!
There are ancestry trees that give Roderick's wife's maiden name as Keightley.
In fact Roderick m Mary GREEN at St Mary's in Leicester (date not clear on my records - 1802 or 1804; either way, after he registered in the poll book in 1800).

According to the 1851 census, Mary was born in Baslow (Derbyshire). No Keightleys in Baslow, but at least 2 possible Mary Greens born around the right time.

So I think we have to look before Mary came onto the scene to find the source of the Keightley name.

But many thanks for looking!

[Cumbey]

I have Keightleys in my tree - earliest James, b 1650 Hathern, Leicester, England

[Bunnygirl]

Hi
Looked in my copy of Blaby PR and entry for Samuels baptism is as follows;
Samuel Rudkin 14 March 1807
parents Rederich Rudkin & Mary Kighley
no other entries for 10yeras either way of this entry under surname of Rudkin.
There is a marriage entry at St Mary's Church Leicester as follows;
16 August 1802
Roderick Rudkin of this parish
        &
Mary Green of this parish
marriage by Banns
~~~~~~~~~~
Also this one at Newton Linford
20 May 1766
Dorothy Bethany of Rothley
           &
Benjamin Rudkin of this parish
marriage by licence

May be worth you getting this licence if you hav'ent already got it !!!
Cannot see any Behany entries in Rothley PR

Bunnygirl

[Annie65115]

that's them ---

[Nick Cox]

Hi Annie,

I saw your query re: Rudkin/Keightley and joined RootsChat, just so I can let others know what I discovered several years ago, and which, I believe, explains the confusion as has been discussed at length on the internet over several years.  I am a descendant of Theresa Harris, nee Rudkin, daughter of Matthew Rudkin and Sarah, nee Orange.  Matthew was born at Blaby and his father was Roderick.

Matthew descends from a line of master bricklayers and builders, as is commonly known. Well, one day in the Leicester Records Office I stumbled on a book of "Freemen of the City of Leicester" and it gave a list of all the masters and their apprentices and the dates at which their sons were subsequently made freemen.  I am in a library at the moment and do not have my notes to hand, but from memory, Matthew's direct paternal grandfather, or great grandfather was, I think James Keightley, but he was apprenticed to a (Thomas?) Rudkin who was a mason at Newtown Linford, and when James had qualified he obviously agreed to take on the surname of his master.  This is what must have happened as the book which lists and traces back all the subsequent sons etc keeps saying "Rudkin, alias Keightley" or "formerly Keightley" or "now Keightley." 

Because there are references on the internet to researchers having found Rudkins marrying Keightleys etc, I actually believe that the two families were related already, maybe Thomas Rudkin had no male heir, but agreed to take on his nephew?? as long as he would assume the surname Rudkin.  I do not think it is a case of illegitimacy and the keeping of an unmarried mother's name.  So the Rudkins are, I believe, in fact all Keightleys!! Because of their line of business they simply kept the original surname going by christening lots of their sons with the middle name Keightley, although they now were legally known by the surname Rudkin.

I hope this is useful.  I can supply you with the exact facts/words if you wish, but the book is easily located at the records office and does, I believe, solve the big Keightley/Rudkin question.

Nick

[Annie65115]

Hello Nick

That's an interesting supposition; I would like to see the evidence for this (but can't get to the records office for a good while yet).

I have Matthew Rudkin on my tree and as you say, his father was Roderick. So from what you're saying

Matthew's direct paternal grandfather, or great grandfather was, I think James Keightley, but he was apprenticed to a (Thomas?) Rudkin who was a mason at Newtown Linford

either Roderick's father was James Keightley, or the link is a generation further back.

I've never found a baptismal record for Roderick Rudkin, it's true, but the censuses clearly state that he was b Newtown Linford, and IIRC the only Rudkin family in NL at that time was Benjamin and his (second) wife Dorothy. Dorothy died in 1780, the year given as Roderick's YOB.

So I don't have absolute proof that Roderick was Benjamin's father, in that I haven't found a baptismal record.

Benjamin's father is certainly unknown as he was illegitimate; but a settlement record from 1750-something connects him with the Rudkins in Quorndon. And his baptismal record shows him as the son of Elisabeth Rudkin.

So if I understand you correctly, Roderick's father (ie Matthew's paternal grandfather) may have been James Keightley, apprenticed to one of the Rudkin clan. I don't think that this applies to Benjamin (Matthews gt-grandfather) because I have see his PRs and have a copy of his settlement papers!

So did James Keightley become James Rudkin? I haven't found him, if that's the case. Did Benjamin Rudkin (Roderick's putative father) apprentice James Keightley? Ws Roderick b Keightley and only subsequently changed this to Rudkin?