Rustidge Family of Mere, Cheshire

[Rustidge]

Hi Glasto
My Walter Rustidge married Betty Toft.
from 1851 census they were living at Tabley Superior Cheshire.
John Toft head 30   labourer
Martha Toft wife 23
Mary Toft Daug 7
Walter Rustidge F I Law 45 game keeper born Tabley Superior
Betty Rustidge wife 48
Samual Rustidge son 12 born Plumley
Walter Rustidge son 10 born Plumley
Thomas Rustidge son 8 born plumley
My husband is decended from Thomas
seems like your John is an older brother
Brenda

[Catherine]

Hi! Glasto,
I have a photo of the headstone for Walter and Betty, they are buried at  St. Peters Church, in Tabley.

If you want it send me a private message with your e-mail.

Catherine 

[Rustidge]

Hi Catherine
Both still busy on line!
Brenda

[Catherine]

Hi! Brenda,

Not done any of my tree for a while, think I need to get back to it.

Catherine

[Glasto]

Do either Catherine or Brenda (or anyone else) know when or how the name spelling changed?  I have a marriage certificate from 21/12/1887 between William Painter and Martha Rustage with her father being John Rustage, the son of Walter and Betty Toft.  So where does the Rustidge spelling fit in?
Glasto

[Catherine]

My Michael Rustidge married a Fanny Boond, now on the church record the person who married them entered his name as Michael Rustage, now Michael signed his name as Michael Rustidge.   Now Fanny could not read or write she signed her name with a X.
When it came time to take details for the census, if the enumerator called at the house to take the details for the census, and it was Fanny giving the information, as she gave the details the enumerator would spell the names as they sounded. So the surname could be one of many spellings.

I have found a number of mine as Rustidge and Rustage. Some of mine I found as Rustage, but on document it was Rustidge.

Think we just have to put it down to people not being able to read and write, in the early days.

Catherine 

[Rustidge]

Hi Glasto and Catherine
We have name spelled Rustage, Rustidge and Roughsedge and I have connected them all. Depends on who wrote it. Glasto`s John is my husbands great grandfathers brother. Small World isn't it. There are several of each name on Genes Reunited site.
Brenda

[prustage]

Hi Glasto and Catherine
We have name spelled Rustage, Rustidge and Roughsedge and I have connected them all. Depends on who wrote it. Brenda

Hi Brenda - and all other Rust*ges who may see this.

I am intrigued that you can connect up the Rust*ges with the Roughsedges. I am sure you are right but I have been trying to do this for a while and cant really find any real evidence to support this. If there definitely is a link then it means we can trace the name back as far as 1540!

You are right in that names that sound similar most likely are the same family since it was the sound rather than the spelling that carried.

I wasted a fair amount of time trying to link the Rustiges up with the German/Dutch family name Rustige. It seemed very likely at the time but I have now come to the conclusion that there probably is not a link. Any immigrant German by the name of Rustige would be transcribed in this country as something like "Rooshdigger" if they came in the semi literate times of pre-1800.

Meanwhile does anyone have any thoughts on what the name actually means? There is a plant called "Rough Sedge"...

Phil Rustage

PS I can attach the trail back to 1540 if anyone would like it.

[Rustidge]

Hi Phil
My husbands fathers birth certificate is Rustidge, but his grandfathers is Roughsedge, however his greatgrandfather was Rustage. I think it all depends on the registrar at the time!
Brenda
I would be interested in any research you have on name.