Author Topic: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research  (Read 4074 times)

Offline sirsimon

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,672
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« on: Friday 15 May 15 14:18 BST (UK) »
Hello

Just out of curiosity, what are the most unusual/unique names you have come across in your research?

The majority of men will be named William, John or James, whilst women are usually named Elizabeth, Mary or Sarah.

However there are times you come across a name that makes you either chuckle or groan at.

I have found some very odd names including;

Redrum
Ethelreda
Decimus
Hanora


Offline davidft

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 4,209
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #1 on: Friday 15 May 15 14:35 BST (UK) »
I have a great great granduncle called Hall, Hall Burdon.

I though it was odd having a surname for a forename, but that was before I learnt that was not uncommon in the North East (think Robson Green for a modern example).

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJQG-TYM

It turns out Hall was the maiden name of his maternal grandmother
James Stott c1775-1850. James was born in Yorkshire but where? He was a stonemason and married Elizabeth Archer (nee Nicholson) in 1794 at Ripon. They lived thereafter in Masham. If anyone has any suggestions or leads as to his birthplace I would be interested to know. I have searched for it for years without success. Thank you.

Offline sirsimon

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,672
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #2 on: Friday 15 May 15 14:42 BST (UK) »
Great Find

Its was the same with Redrum.

He was named Redrum Osborn and he was a waterman from Norfolk. His mothers surname was Redrum

Offline sharonmx5

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 163
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #3 on: Friday 15 May 15 17:31 BST (UK) »
Damarzin Pizey - listed as a member of the Woodbridge Beaumont Baptist Chapel from 1836 to 1848.

Not many people have two zeds in their name!
Hudson - Ipswich, pre 1800; Devall - Colchester, pre 1780


Offline Redroger

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 12,670
  • Dad and Fireman at Kings Cross 13.7.1951
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #4 on: Friday 15 May 15 19:12 BST (UK) »
I can add Eranamus. aka Hieronymous. SHE  married into the Luffman family in the mid 18th century in Dorset, and left it in pretty short order having given birth to an illegitimate child. Sherborne district of Dorset.
Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp  Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Proctor Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

Offline Josephine

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,218
  • Photo: Beardstown, Illinois
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #5 on: Friday 15 May 15 23:05 BST (UK) »
I've got a long list but my favourite is still Africa Bastard. His son was named Africa Bastard, too. I'd love to know the story behind that name.

Josephine
England: Barnett; Beaumont; Christy; George; Holland; Parker; Pope; Salisbury
Scotland: Currie; Curror; Dobson; Muir; Oliver; Pryde; Turnbull; Wilson
Ireland: Carson; Colbert; Coy; Craig; McGlinchey; Riley; Rooney; Trotter; Waters/Watters

Offline Rosinish

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 14,239
  • PASSED & PAST
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #6 on: Friday 15 May 15 23:46 BST (UK) »
 ;D  :o

Cracker........  ;D

Annie
South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"

Offline bugbear

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,165
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 16 May 15 08:25 BST (UK) »
I've got a "Hephzebah" in my tree.

But can anyone beat "Rose Midwinter" for a name that even Mills & Boon would find a little too poetic to be real?

But real it is!

 BugBear
BICE Middlesex
WOMACK Norfolk/Suffolk

Offline YorkshireBorn

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 56
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Most Unusual/Unique names you have found in your research
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 16 May 15 08:35 BST (UK) »
I have a branch of family that named all their children with the same letter:

Mary Ann
Matthew
Mark
Martha
Margery
Mabel
Margaret
Warwickshire - Thompson, Johnson, Sinar/Siner, Abbott, Hewitt, Smith, West,
Gloucestershire - Williams, Powell, Pigeon, Pullen
Wiltshire - Cullis, Matthews
Flintshire - Jones, Evans
Yorkshire - Bennett, Coleman, Rhodes