Is my Grt grt Grandfather Jewish?

[ladyhall]

Hi

I'm a bit of a newbie and have discovered after months of research and some desperately needed help that my great great grandfather who I had originally thought was called Alfred Taylor b. 1857 Shadwell, may now be Moss Benjamin b1857 St Luke, London son of Abraham Benjamin b.1815 Holland.  This all began because I couldn't find the maiden name for Alfred's wife and my great grandmother Catherine Amy b. 1857 Southampton (i have death cert for her), and after some research it seems that Alfred and his wife Catherine Amy cannot be found under the name Taylor prior to 1901 (census).  I would like to verify somehow that this was actually the case? If so, does anyone know if this was common occurance and was there somewhere where it would be legally changed? Where I could find more information?  If anyone could help me verify that this is most likely the case then I would be ever so grateful.

Children of Catherine Amy Taylor and Alfred Taylor in 1901

Earnest Charles b.1878
Philip Horace b.1879
Maud Adelaide b. 1888
Dennis Evelyn b.1897
Clifford b.1894
Hilda Mary b.1896
Reginald b.1891
Amy Louise b.1876
Amy L Granddaughter b. 1900 - Cannot find her birth certificate either..? I think she is child to Amy Louise as is stated in 1911 census. Her full name on that census is Amy Francis Maluka Ellis (father Frances Robert Ellis)

I think if I could find a death certificate for Moss Benjamin that would change everything but haven't been able to I'm still unsure?

Any help would be much much appreciated.

Thanks!

A

[stanmapstone]

Hi Welcome to RootsChat
A person can change his or her name simply by using a different name with sufficient consistency to become generally known by that name. A change is normally given formal publicity, e.g. by means of a statutory declaration, deed poll, or newspaper advertisement, but this is not legally necessary.
See http://www.ukdps.co.uk/IsADeedPollRegisteredAnywhere.html
Stan

[Annie65115]

Do you have any idea of marraige details for your gt-grandparents?

I see from freeBMD that Catherine Amy Grubb may have m Moss Benjamin in 1876

Marriages Sep 1876 
Benjamin  Moss    St. Geo. East  1c 807   
GRUBB  Catherine Amy     St Geo East  1c 807   
Norton  Henry     St. Geo. East  1c 807   
Silversides  Maria     St. Geo. East  1c 807   

Might it be worth getting that certificate?

[paulchapman]

i could well be reading your post wrong but this would appear to be your alfred/catherine amy prior to 1901 on the 1891 census.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1891&indiv=try&h=9850683

[davidrigg3]

The 1881 census seems to support the theory - the children's names match

RG11, 450,  46,  Page  43

Benjamin, Mass   Head,    Married  M   24
Benjamin, Catherine   Wife,  Married  F   24
Benjamin, Amy S Daughter,  Single  F 4
Benjamin, Ernest C. Son,   Single  M 2
Benjamin, Horace P Son,  Single  M 1

AMBROSE, John Boarder Single  M 21

[Annie65115]

you beat me to it there!

edited to add - "Mass Benjanm" and "Alfred Taylor" were both waste paper dealers too

[jim1]

just to confirm Annies marriage.London marriages has Moss married to Catherine & father listed as Abraham Benjamin.
jim

[Annie65115]

Looking at Catherine and Moss/Alfred's children's names, I can find several possible matches in St Geo East and Stepney under the surname of Benjamin, but not under Taylor. This is right up to 1896 - Hilda - by which time the family, if it is indeed the same one, were already calling themselves Taylor on the census returns.

[jim1]

I wonder if he chose Taylor because that's what his father was (tailor)
A bit simplistic I know.

jim