Author Topic: History of Romani/Catalan around Petworth Sussex?  (Read 905 times)

Offline jlewis6537

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History of Romani/Catalan around Petworth Sussex?
« on: Wednesday 06 November 13 00:35 GMT (UK) »
Can anyone help with the likelihood that a family named Hearsey from the area of Petworth Sussex might be of Romani or Catalan background? Stories from two branches of the family indicate gypsy and/or Spanish ancestry, and this seems to be the most likely line. The family was fairly well settled by 1795, when James Hearsey, a coachman, was married in St James Westminster, so gypsy roots would have been in the early 1700s, most likely. We think he was baptized 1769 in Petworth to George Hearsey and Elizabeth Randall.

Any wisdom from the group?

Thanks,

Judy
Reynolds, Knight, Brooks, Hearsey, Elliott, Nicholls, Braid, Ellington (England & Scotland)
Lewis, Putnam, Demory, Mason (US)