What is this man's name?

[barrymore23]

On his marriage certificate my ancestor's name is given as PLOUGHS from Houghton le Spring. Family history experts from that part of the world say that name is basically unknown to them and certainly it doesn't appear in censuses etc. He has signed the register which is attached and it doesn't appear to be PLOUGHS. Any help/advice much appreciated

Thanks

[Mike in Cumbria]

Looks just like Ploughs to me.

Mike

[miriamkinga]

I'm with Mike - looks like Ploughs to me too

[avm228]

The mother's name of Jane nee Robson is interesting.

Have you seen this 1830 marriage of Jane Robson to David "Pluse"?

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NXGV-Y27

...children later baptised in Houghton le Spring:

Barbara 1836: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVP8-4QL (poss death Dec qtr 1838 Houghton)

Jane 1838: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVPD-LV7

[Mike in Cumbria]

Pluse would be a good northeastern pronunciation of Ploughs.

[GR2]

It may be that he is not very skilled in writing. Whatever his name, it must have clearly sounded like "Ploughs" to the clerk. His signature says either "Plougs" or "Plowgs". Perhaps he would normally sign "Plows", but has had a look at the clerk's version and stuck in the "g", but not the "h".

[avm228]

The mother's name of Jane nee Robson is interesting.

Have you seen this 1830 marriage of Jane Robson to David "Pluse"?

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NXGV-Y27

...children later baptised in Houghton le Spring:

Barbara 1836: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVP8-4QL (poss death Dec qtr 1838 Houghton)

Jane 1838: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVPD-LV7

1841 census for Philadelphia, Houghton le Spring shows they had a John of the right age.

David Plews 25 Ag lab b Yorks
Jane do 30 b Scotland
John do 5 b Yorks
Jane do 2 b Yorks

[Mike in Cumbria]

There are a great many John Pluse in that part of the world at the right time. I think the clerk probably heard Pluse as Ploughs (they would be pronounced identically) and wrote it down, then John had a go at copying it out.

mike

[Ruskie]

It may be that he is not very skilled in writing.

Disagree with this. I believe John had a confident hand. Spellings were probably just unimportant.