« Reply #14 on: Wednesday 14 December 16 17:20 GMT (UK) »
There does seem to be a misconception amongst some researchers that if your ancestors were Ag Labs or the like in later centuries, then that is all they ever were. A friend of my Aunts stopped researching because all she found was Ag Labs, but she hadn't apparently gone back that far. However, that isn't often the case. I've numerous examples of ancestors who were this in the 18th and 19th centuries but having managed to research the generations back further, supported by Wills and the like, many actually were merchants, farmers, yeoman and other such occupations. The problem was the money ran out as the generations went further forward as it was split in so many ways.
Just what I was thinking the other day when I found the vicars and landowners in my tree, inheritance had to be shared out and many people may not have done well in business and later became labourers. Yet their grandad or great grandad was a landowner and maybe further back there was barons, knights, sir's and the like, and royalty. Danny Dyer for example. Just because someone were born into a royal family does not mean that their children and grandchildren and so on will have such a luxury due to money being lost. Hence why many of us do descend from royalty due to the generations between them and us climbing down the social scale.
Researching:
LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET Coombs, Munday
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Budery
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham, Jupp
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk
USA Musgrave, Saix
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain