Dixon-Dawson family Seaham Harbour North East England

[Anna Harris]

Hello Everybody,

I'm trying to get to the bottom of a long-standing mystery in my research.  I'm trying to find out how the name Dixon-Dawson came about as it doesn't appear to be because a Dixon married a Dawson, which is how most double-barrelled names appear.

There is a family legend that a Mr Dixon was indebted to a family called Dawson (or was it the other way around?!) who took him in in hard times and adopted their name as a thank you. 

My research so far has got me back to Henry Dawson born 1842.  He appears as Henry Dixon in 1851, Henry Dawson in 1861, Dixon in 1871, Dixon in 1881, Dixon in 1891.

Then his son William appears in 1901 census as William D Dawson and finally William Dixon-Dawson in 1911!

This suggests to me that the family name was always Dixon-Dawson but the enumerators weren't sure whether to use the first or second of the surnames.

The 20th century family are well documented and the name Dixon-Dawson seems particular to Seaham and Horden in the North East.  Was it common for working class families (coal miners) to have double-barrelled names or could it be that the legend is true but is too far back to find?

Any help much appreciated!

Anna

[CaroleW]

I'm trying to find out how the name Dixon-Dawson came about as it doesn't appear to be because a Dixon married a Dawson, which is how most double-barrelled names appear

Somebody could be illegitimately born as either Dixon or Dawson  and registered as such.  In later life they discover their biological father and use his name as either a middle or main surname

You don't give any details as to whether you have Henry's birth cert or have him on a census with parents??

He appears as Henry Dixon in 1851

Is he the 1851 entry born Hetton - parents Thomas & Jane?

[Anna Harris]

Hi, that's a good point, thank you.

Henry is listed in the 1851 census as living with his parents Thomas Dixon and Jane (nee Robson).

Thomas, Henry's father (born 1807) appears in the 1841 census as Thomas Dawson, 1851 census as Thomas Dixon, 1861 census as Thomas Dawson and 1871 as Thomas Dixon!

 

[CaroleW]

So the name difference may stem from Thomas - not Henry

Have you researched Thomas back from 1841?

[CaroleW]

It's almost certainly Thomas's ancestry that has produced the 2 surnames in which case any Dixon/Dawson marriage would be pre-1837

This is more of an example than a possible "find" from Family Search

Name    Thomas Dawson
Gender    Male
Christening Date    04 May 1806
Christening Date (Original)    04 MAY 1806
Christening Place    CHESTER LE STREET,DURHAM,ENGLAND
Birth Date    24 Oct 1805
Father's Name    John Dawson
Mother's Name    Mary Dixon

[CaroleW]

Henry's birth seems to have been registered as Dawson

Henry Dawson mmn      Robson     June qtr 1842 Houghton Le Spring 24  163
 

[Anna Harris]

Hi that find actually looks quite promising! I haven’t managed to find anything back from 1841 for Thomas. He was born in Biddick apparently and I’ve just checked where it is on a map and it’s not far from Chester Le street.

[Anna Harris]

The births are usually either registered as Dawson only or as Dawson with a middle or 3rd name name as Dixon...

[Anna Harris]

I’m headed to bed now but thank you for looking - I needed some 7 star help on this! Im not very good pre 1841! I’m going to have another look tomorrow night. Thanks Carole