Why 2 surnames?

[Sarah Stone]

I have a John ROUTLIDGE or ARMSTRONG bpt 14 Oct 1688 (married to Margaret Thompson b 1686, marr Nov 1712)son of James ROUTLIDGE or ARMSTRONG. (wife unknown)
Does anybody know why somebody would have 2 surnames. I think it has something to do with marriages not being recognised and Cromwell but not sure what. Does this mean I have an idea as to what the mothers maiden name was?

[behindthefrogs]

If I remember correctly both the Routledges and the Armstrongs were Reiver families who survived in the borders by crossing between England and Scotland as things became too hot on one side of the border or the other.  With the merging of the the English and Scottish thrones this no longer worked and they may well have adopted aliases as another form of defence.

In the 17th century surnames were not as firmly established as they are today and there are numerous examples of people going under more than one name.  You may well find that one name was their true name and the other that of a strong "clan" into which they had married. 

I associate Routledge with England and Armstrong with Scotland which may also be significant.

There was also a period when General Dacre the warden of West March was trying to wipe out the Routledges but I can't put a date on that.

I hope that these ramblings help.

David

[Sarah Stone]

Thanks David
I was going to say that anything helps but havin read that again I'm not too sure. Some how I suspect this is going to get a bit muddled!!
May be if I just put what I have and see if anybody has any brainwaves. The Routle(i)dge / Armstrong as given in the IGI

John ROUTLEDGE b March 1713 Lanercost, Cumb. Died Dec 1784 Carlisle. Married Jane Thompson in 1738 Carlisle.
His parents.... John ROUTLIDGE or ARMSTRONG (b Oct 1866 @ Lanercost). Married Marharet THOMPSON Nov 1712.
His father James ROUTLIDGE or ARMSTRONG

Thanks

[behindthefrogs]

I have been doing a bit of surfing on the subject of Reiver families.  It seems that the Grahams were the strongest clan and the Armstrongs the second largest.  Your family could well have been Routledges with a marriage to an Armstrong.  The alias could thus be showing an allegiance to the strong Armstrong clan.

David

[Sarah Stone]

Thanks to all for your help ......... but how am I going to trace this family back if they pretend they are who they aren't