SCHNITZLER in London

[Schorsch]

Here I am again.  In the meanwhile I learned a little bit more English,
ordered some certificates , and found some Mysteries 
May be you can help me, as you did before .

I have the birth of , Joseph Henry Schnitzler 1886 East Battersea.
His Parents were Bernhard August Hubert Schnitzler and Eliza Bryant.

 Joseph Henry married (Profession:Royal Navy) in 1917 Jessie Newnham,
in the Marriage Cert he is named Joseph Henry Bryant and his Father Bernhard
August Bryant. How is this change of Name possible? Because of the Navy?
Has anybody an Explanation?
kind regards
Brigitte

[SwissGill]

Hello Brigitta

Some Germans changed their names, especially during or before the First World War. Some. like my relatives, the Heinzmanns, changed to Haines or Pfisterer to Fisher and Brück to Briggs. Some translated their names from König to King.

However, one Heinzmann puzzled me. He changed his name to Brignall. I later found out that was his wife's name as in the case of your family.

Some changed their names officially and some just put a little notice in the newspaper that they would like to be called "...." from now on.

[jorose]

And some just changed their names without any legal notification.  As long as he wasn't trying to defraud anybody (avoid paying back money, deserted the army), it would not be illegal for him to just start calling himself Bryant.

You can look at http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search for name changes.
e.g.:
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29169/pages/4949
 - Julius Schnitzler officially changed his name to "James Sinclair" in 1915

[Schorsch]

Hello SwissGill,

thank you for this information, really intersting.

@jorose, thank you very much for this link

kind regards
Brigitte