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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Argyllshire => Topic started by: Iain... on Saturday 15 December 12 18:27 GMT (UK)

Title: Cissy:
Post by: Iain... on Saturday 15 December 12 18:27 GMT (UK)
Hi all !   Once upon a time..., I had a Great Aunt Cissy !   What could have been her real name ? 

I have a family photo from about 1914 and I've recently found somone who has been able to put names to faces...,
but there's no Cissy on the 1901/11 censiiiiiiiiii !   ::)

Unfortunately, the source of this info has disapeared.

Thanks..., Iain.     :)
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Wade82 on Saturday 15 December 12 18:34 GMT (UK)
Just typed in whats cissy short for and it come up with Cecila or Anastacia Hope this helps. :)
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: aghadowey on Saturday 15 December 12 18:39 GMT (UK)
Unfortunately 'Cissie' is often a nickname for 'sister' so the real name can be almost anything  :-\
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Istrice on Saturday 15 December 12 23:53 GMT (UK)
Hi Iain,

In the West of Scotland, around the earlier part of the 20th century, "Cis" or "Cissy" was frequently used as a shortened, version of the name "Florence", especially by the person's friends and family, .

Regards,

Istrice
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Iain... on Sunday 16 December 12 06:40 GMT (UK)
Wow !   

As I mentioned, the 1901 and 11 census from Campbeltown have no such names...., especially Anastacia.  Lol !   I do like the Cissy for sister one, but that provides me with a wall.    As for Florence; very interesting !
Looks as if it's back to the drawing board !   

Thanks all for your help.   Kind Regards..., Iain.  :)
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: lizci on Monday 17 December 12 19:56 GMT (UK)
I think Cissy is used for a variety of names, but I've a feeling it's quite a common "pet" name for Christine or Christina.

Lizci
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: kevinf2349 on Monday 17 December 12 21:09 GMT (UK)
I am not sure if it helps but I had a great aunt Cissie and her real name was Elizabeth. I am not sure how she got Cissie but I do know everyone called her it.

Best regards
Kevin
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Ann Baker on Tuesday 18 December 12 02:06 GMT (UK)
Hi Iain

Do you have the details from the census for 01/11 with the family on - might be able from that to work out which one is Cissy?

I have Cissy's in my tree but they're a bit of a mix of 'real' names - elizabeth and Christine/Chrissy being the main ones.

Ann  :)
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Lodger on Tuesday 18 December 12 09:21 GMT (UK)
I had a neighbour years ago who was always known as Cissy, we grew up with her (here in Lanarkshire) and it wasn't until she passed away that we found out her real name ........... Sarah.
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: aghadowey on Tuesday 18 December 12 09:51 GMT (UK)
I've known quite a few women named Cissie over the years (mostly my mother's generation) and turns out their real names are.... Catherine, Mary, Josephine, Cecilia, Florence, Dorothy....

Think it's safe to say that it can be a difficult nickname to get to the root of  :-\
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Iain... on Tuesday 18 December 12 10:27 GMT (UK)
Thanks all !  ;)  Ann..., great idea !  Lol !   Why didn’t I think of that ? 

14 children on the 1911 census and 14 on the photo.   James in uniform was surely absent at the time.
A possible headstone: http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t205/Iain_017/Ancesrty/DSCF0388.jpg

Janet / Catherine / Annie / Mary / Muriel dead / Janet / Robina / Elizabeth / Margaret 

My 1xG Grandfather Robert McFarlane McArthur 1860-1935; Campbeltown.
Janet McCaffer McCuaig 1863 – 1896 (1st wife: died)
James MacArthur 1885 – 
Janet McCaffer MacArthur 1887 – 
Catherine (Kate) McCaffer MacArthur 1889 – 
Neil McCuaig Macarthur 1891 – 1950
Annie McCuaig MacArthur 1893 – 1969
Mary Martin McCuaig Rankin MacArthur 1895 – 1964 (my Grandmother)
Muriel McArthur 1896 – 1897
Janet Rankin 1874 – 1956 (2nd wife)
Robina (Bina) MacFarlane McArthur 1897 – 1978
Alexander (Alick) Rankin MacArthur 1899 – 1961
Dugald MacArthur 1903 – 
Peter MacArthur 1904 – 
Alister MacArthur 1905 – 
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Rankin MacArthur 1907 – 1978
Keneth MacArthur 1908 – 1918
Margaret McArthur 1911 – 

Just from interest:  This photo was probably taken in the 60’s. (Annie’s golden wedding..., still the same hair-do)
(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t205/Iain_017/Ancesrty/28b.jpg)

Judging from everyone's comments I'd be inclined to believe it's more of a family-friendly nick name.    :)

IMPORTANT:  Just a short note concerning the image and its blue ink markings..., and a message I received from Admin questioning its legal rights.   Lol !   We’re lucky to have such an excellent Admin team !   I’ll keep her name a secret !  Lol !
As for the photo, I received it from my Father following his death last year, he got it from my Mother in 1983 and she got it from my Grandmother who died in 1964.

At the time, this was the system used by photographers to protect their property..., ink-stamping the photo to render it unusable.   Nonetheless, the system did permit the participants to order as many as they liked and the original would be left in the hands of the customer.

Now..., seems like I’ve another one of those senior moments !   Can’t remember if I wished Monica a Merry Christmas ?     ;)

This photo was probably taken just after WW1 and Cissy is supposed to be the 2nd daughter from the left, back row.  Grandmother Mary 3rd.  Annie 4th.
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Iain... on Sunday 23 December 12 06:55 GMT (UK)
Problem with the above post and the images..., can't get hold of the edit button to eliminate the two test photos.   Another senior moment !?  ::)

It’s not impossible that I found a Cissy-answer from my cousin.   Looking logically at the family situation and following the birth of the second-born Janet, father Robert and mother Janet would be having a lot of confusing conversations.   As such and with James the first-born calling his little sister Cissy..., the parents probably kept the pet-name for easiness. 

Now I think about it..., it’s not impossible that many daughters whatever their name and being called after their mother, would be pet-named Cissy.   Just a thought !   

Merry Christmas One and All.     :)
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: tidybooks on Sunday 23 December 12 14:01 GMT (UK)
Hi All,

My gran was Granny Cissy, she was the youngest of seven sisters, so may have been shortened version of Sister, her real name was Isabella Paterson nee Stewart.

Tom
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Iain... on Sunday 23 December 12 15:34 GMT (UK)
Hi Tom !   Was her Mother called Isabella ? 
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: tidybooks on Sunday 23 December 12 15:50 GMT (UK)
Hi Iain2,

Unfortunately not, her mother was Martha McAdam Greig.

Tom
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Iain... on Sunday 23 December 12 18:06 GMT (UK)
Hi Iain2,
Unfortunately not, her mother was Martha McAdam Greig.
Tom

Oops !   Bang goes my theory !   Lol !   

Merry Christmas..., Iain. 
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Seoras on Monday 24 December 12 10:50 GMT (UK)
My aunt Rachel was known as Cissie, as aghadowey said earlier it is quite likely to just be a nickname for 'sister'
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: BonnieDownUnder on Tuesday 25 December 12 19:45 GMT (UK)
Hi, to add more names (and confusion) to the pot, my great grandmother (who had a twin brother) name on her birth certificate was Sissey though the family tale is that her father couldn't read nor write and it was suppose to be Lizzie!
Also my grand aunt, named Pauline, was known as Cis, and she was the eldest of eight children.
 
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: perth tiger on Tuesday 25 December 12 23:06 GMT (UK)
my great aunt cissy was the oldest child. her real name was matilda racheal after her 2 grandmothers, she hated the name apparently and i didnt find out about it till a long time after her death.
next time i speak to her sister i'll see if she knows why she picked cissy
Title: Re: Cissy:
Post by: Iain... on Wednesday 26 December 12 04:14 GMT (UK)
Thanks everyone !  Summing up..., looks as if it’s a pet-name for just about everyone !   :)