Why did John change his surname?

[Forfarian]

I was meaning the death record in 1891

What are the names on it?

William Storry's death record in 1891 gives his parents as John Storry and Janet Murray, and the informant was his brother Alexander Storry. No mentions of any Stewarts.

[Forfarian]

In the interim I have had a look at SP and still cannot find the family in 1851. However in 1861 they are all (except Mary who died young) living, as I expected, at Gavieside in West Calder, surname Storry.

[Seoras]

Hi Forfarian,if the first William dies in 1891 but by 1906 he has acquired another son named William,is it possible he and Janet parted and he either re-married or moved in with someone else and simply took the name of his new partner.Just going by the fact he died in Fife and Janet in Glasgow.Just an idea and probably wrong

George.

[Forfarian]

Hi Forfarian,if the first William dies in 1891 but by 1906 he has acquired another son named William,is it possible he and Janet parted and he either re-married or moved in with someone else and simply took the name of his new partner.Just going by the fact he died in Fife and Janet in Glasgow.Just an idea and probably wrong

Could be. However the death certificate does say 'Married to Janet Murray'.

[tidybooks]

Hi folks,

I think we have 2 marriages here, in the 1881 census, I think this is John Storry with a new wife also called Janet and he has  started a new family. There is a submitted record on IGI gives John Storry marriage to Janet Wyper 1873 at Whitburn. If original Janet Murray married a Stewart maybe her Storry children added Stewart to their surnames.

Dwelling:   Hillhead Cottage    Census Place:   Whitburn, Linlithgow, Scotland
      
John STORRY   M   53    M   Whitburn    Head    Occ:   Retired Farmer
Janet STORRY   M   32    F   Whitburn  Wife
Jessie STORRY       9    F   Whitburn    Daur
Kate STORRY       7    F   Whitburn    Daur
John STORRY       6    M   Whitburn    Son
Glaud STORRY       4    M   West Calder Son
William STORRY   2    M   West Calder Son
Alexr. STORRY       6 m   M   Whitburn    Son
Margt. THOMSON   27    F   Whitburn   General Servant

Tom

[Forfarian]

I think we have 2 marriages here, in the 1881 census, I think this is John Storry with a new wife also called Janet and he has  started a new family.

No, sorry, reasonable suggestion but it won't wash. The John Storry who married Janet Wyper in 1873 died in 1933, and I have seen his marriage and death certificates. He was in fact the son of John Storry (aka John Storry Stewart) and Janet Murray. I think the '53' in the 1881 census transcription is an error for 33. (Just to complicate things, his brother William Storry, the one who died in 1891, married Christina Wyper, sister of Janet Wyper)

[tidybooks]

Hi Forfarian,

It's a good little problem, you've got.

I found another 2 x John Storry's on SP Wills, both from Whitburn, 1 in 1878 +1 in 1891, maybe relatives of yours, who died in 1906.

There is no mention of Stewart in your family tree then, because names were changed outwith the law and changed back when it suited them. I have similar in my tree, I can see that they did it, but not why. I suppose that is the problem with genealogy we may see it black and white but not always the reason.
I wish you good luck with your chase.

Tom

[flst]

I've found John in the 1851 census;
Holehouse Lum, Whitburn, West Lothian
John Storry 27, Farmer of 60 acres
Janet 24,
John 4,
William 7,
Janet 2 months.
Regards,
flst

[sancti]

Was the William Stewart who reported the death an illegitimate son?