Author Topic: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable  (Read 13781 times)

Offline johnd3

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Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« on: Thursday 05 December 13 16:53 GMT (UK) »

Hi
i Have a problem with my great grand mother first name she was born in Ireland in Roscommon about 1845/1850,s. she was Roman Catholic
On her marriage cert to my great grand father Patrick Duffy in 1868 her first name is given as Bridget McKeon. Then on her children's birth cert it gives her first name as Margaret. Also when they immigrated to England in about 1872/1873 on the 1881 census for Bolton in Lancashire her name is also given as Margaret and this goes on through the 1891/1901 census's. I saw a question from a Pam, i know this is going back a bit to March 2005 on this site she also had a the same question as mine can Bridget be interchangeable with Margaret. I did see also when looking for web sites that may give an answer that Bridget was the Irish Gaelic name for Margaret can anyone confirm that.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance for any help.
John Duffy

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 05 December 13 17:15 GMT (UK) »
Margaret comes from the Greek and mean 'pearl' the Irish forms include Mairead with the nicknames of Maggie, Madge and Peggy very common in Ireland.
Bridget is an Irish name from the word 'brigh' meaning power or virtue made popular amongst Catholic families by St. Brigid. Bridie, Brid and Getty (or Jetty) are some of the nicknames.
So, two completely separate names. However, it can happen that a child is christened with one name and has a birth registered as another, has two Christian names and uses one or the other at various times or is officially known by one name but known by a completely unrelated name by family and friends.
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Offline myluck!

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Re: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 05 December 13 17:19 GMT (UK) »
I agree with aghadowey

Another nickname for Bridget is Delia, while the Irish is Brid (pronounced Breege)
and Mairead (pronounced Maur-ade) is the Irish for Margaret

As Bridget/Brigid was a common name (she is one of the three patrons of Ireland) and she has strong connections with Roscommon so there are many women with the name and for this reason they would use a second/middle name to stop confusion; Bridget Anne etc.

Perhaps the use of Margaret stemmed from this
Kearney & Bourke/ Johns & Fox/ Mannion & Finan/ Donohoe & Curley
Byrne [Carthy], Keeffe/ Germaine, Butler/ McDermott, Giblin/ Lally, Dolan
Toole, Doran; Dowling, Grogan/ Reilly, Burke; Warren, Kidd [Lawless]/ Smith, Scally; Mangan, Rodgers/ Fahy, Calday; Staunton, Miller
Further generations:
Brophy Coleman Eathorn(e) Fahy Fitzpatrick Geraghty Haverty Keane Keogh Nowlan Rowe Walder

Offline conahy calling

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Re: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 05 December 13 22:45 GMT (UK) »
Have a look at another thread on this topic    www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=39695.0


Offline aghadowey

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Re: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 05 December 13 22:47 GMT (UK) »
Have a look at another thread on this topic    www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=39695.0

That's the earlier topic mentioned in OP's post at the start of this thread.
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Offline Neli

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Re: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 13 March 14 17:47 GMT (UK) »
It's an Irish thing :-)
I know lots of examples;
My Dad is Thomas Anthony on his birth certificate and Thomas Joseph on his Baptism certificate.
My Mum was Ann Bernadette on one and Bernadette Ann, she wouldn't answer to either of these as she has always been called Annette.
I have a cousin John Valentine, only ever been known as Val, another cousin Michael Martin, only ever been called Martin.
These are all current day, even my own name is a bit dodgy, it's Helen-Marie Francis but my Mum didn't use a hyphen on my BC so sometimes I use Marie as my middle name, sometimes Francis, and sometimes both depending on my mood. This had NEVER been queried on official documents.

It probably depended on the person filling the official form which name was used, the proper name if they were feeling that way out or, not. If it was somebody who wasn't family, maybe you were staying somewhere when the Census was taken then more likely the name you were known as.

The only time I remember there ever being a problem was when my Mum went to New York, the US customs were confused but, they let her in  ;D
Nolan, Donohoe, O'Neill, McNally, O'Reilly

Offline Neli

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Re: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 13 March 14 17:52 GMT (UK) »
P.S. There was also the factor that it was common practice to use 'family' names. A Mother might want to call her child Bridgit because she liked it but feel obliged to name her after her MiL Margaret so, she called her Margaret Bridgit  to please everyone but, in practice only ever used the name Bridgit apart from official forms if someone remembered.
Nolan, Donohoe, O'Neill, McNally, O'Reilly

Offline LizMc

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Re: Re the name Bridget and Margaret are they interchangable
« Reply #7 on: Monday 07 November 16 19:45 GMT (UK) »
Hi John,
Yes the more I read your posts the more I see we are on the same track except I am several years later so I hope you see my posts. On the British 1901 census form the parents say they are from Scotland!I'm only beginning to research Ireland now so your posts are really helpful.
My husband is the grandson of Catherine Duffy born 1883 in Bolton.