RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Waterford => Topic started by: Paul Peter on Wednesday 29 July 09 21:21 BST (UK)
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Hi
My great great grandmother's maiden name was Hufsham and she lived in Abbeyside Dungarvan Co. Waterford. I have searched various websites and also googled the name but cannot find anything. The headstone (earliest entry 1804) in the graveyard in Abbeyside shows the name as Hufsham but this may have been altered at some stage as the "S" looks different from the rest of the headstone. Has anyone heard of this name or similar in any other country as there is a family legend that they were originally Dutch.
Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Paul
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I had done a few searches and cant even find it on Dutch surname websites.
Have you checked the parish records to see what spelling was used?
I cant find anywhere with a reference to Hufsham so might be mistake on headstone
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Could it be Hussham, with the first long s looking like f?
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Hi
thanks for both replies, it does look like Hufsham is a mistake but it is one of those I will have to keep digging on. It is annoying as the headstone was repaired about 20 years ago due to the state of the stone and I cannot find out why the name was changed. Comes of not listening to your elders when they talked about family stuff !!
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Apparently in 18th century usage the apparent F is actually a double S.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/101/why-did-18th-century-writers-use-f-inftead-of-s
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Look at the signature of GUINNESS or a bottle of stout for the Fs. Is that what you see?