Name variations - help please

[natp_70]

Hi

Can anyone tell me whether Josias/Josiah is sometimes varied to Joseph in older parish records (17th/18th Centuries).  And the the same for Garthred ... can this sometimes be varied to Gertrude?

Thank you in advance
 

[Worthingbudge]

Hi natp

I don't know about Gertrude but certainly Josiah does get changed to Joseph including times later than the period you mention.

Simon

[Hackstaple]

You might enjoy yourself with these lists:

http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/TIB_given_names.pdf

It is worth remembering two salient points:
Literacy or the lack thereof & immigration which was a constant from the 11th century onwards causing many variants of christian names and surnames to appear.

There was also the Latinisation of names  by the clergy and the use of abbeviations - Jno, Jas, Jos etc.

[natp_70]

Thank you so much! You've just helped me with a little puzzle! 

[pinefamily]

And don't forget that the parish priest or minister was very often not from the area, which meant he might have had some difficulty with the local accent.