Author Topic: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?  (Read 2070 times)

Offline what0101

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Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« on: Tuesday 28 May 19 10:33 BST (UK) »
I've been looking at baptism records in Kerry in the mid-1800s and am very unclear on whether the female sponsors have their maiden or married names recorded. I have read that maiden names are used, but most genealogy sites don't mention this. Did it vary by town or decade?

I have some where I am sure it must be maiden names, but I don't know if this was the tradition or not. I'm specifically looking at Ballybunion parish in Kerry.

Offline Bellevue

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 28 May 19 14:00 BST (UK) »
I'm pretty sure it would be maiden name.

If someone else could confirm.
Cleary - Clonmel / Ardgeeha / Chancellorstown / Garryntemple---------------O' Donnell - Clerihan------------McGrath - Powerstown---------------Cullinan - Scrothea, Clonmel----------------Flemming - Clerihan----------------Brien - Monkstown----------------Dunne - Poulnagunoge  / Gladstone St, Clonmel-------------Dunn - New York------------O' Neill - Kilsheelan

Offline myluck!

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 28 May 19 16:07 BST (UK) »
I would have thought that it was the name they were using at the time so their married name if married.
I have not come across a record so far that looked as if the maiden name was used for a married woman.
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 Rosinish

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 28 May 19 16:25 BST (UK) »
Maiden name for the mother (if you're lucky), sponsors would be their marital surname...unless they were unmarried of course.

Annie
South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"


Offline what0101

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 28 May 19 17:29 BST (UK) »
I'm pretty sure it would be maiden name.

If someone else could confirm.

I have read this elsewhere, too, but there doesn't seem to be consensus about it.

Offline Wexflyer

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 28 May 19 22:49 BST (UK) »
I'm pretty sure it would be maiden name.

If someone else could confirm.

I have read this elsewhere, too, but there doesn't seem to be consensus about it.

You can always find incorrect information on any topic.

But there is consensus: the correct answer is "never".
BRENNANx2 Davidstown/Taghmon,Ballybrennan; COOPER St.Helens;CREAN Raheennaskeagh/Ballywalter;COSGRAVE Castlebridge?;CULLEN Lady's Island;CULLETON Forth Commons;CURRAN Hillbrook, Wic;DOYLE Clonee/Tombrack;FOX Knockbrandon; FURLONG Moortown;HAYESx2 Walsheslough/Wex;McGILL Litter;MORRIS Forth Commons;PIERCE Ladys Island;POTTS Bennettstown;REDMOND Gerry; ROCHEx2 Wex; ROCHFORD Ballysampson/Ballyhit;SHERIDAN Moneydurtlow; SINNOTT Wex;SMYTH Gerry/Oulart;WALSH Kilrane/Wex; WHITE Tagoat area

Offline what0101

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 30 May 19 23:48 BST (UK) »
I asked Kay Caball on her blog, and the answer is not never. I think it's more like rarely. Here's what she said:

Quote
the direct reply to your query is ‘NO’. But in real life, the maiden surname of girls was often used her own locality for a number of years after she married – particularly if her husband ‘married into’ the area. The priest would normally use the correct married name but I am sure it is possible that he could slip up and her maiden name would be included instead.

In the few instances I am pretty sure I am seeing this, it would be within a year of their marriage, so the above makes sense to me.

Offline Maiden Stone

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #7 on: Friday 31 May 19 01:38 BST (UK) »
Married women known by maiden name was mentioned by Robert Matheson, Registrar General of Ireland in his book "Varieties and Synonyms of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland" published 1901. He named a few places where registrars had encountered it; I vaguely remember that the women referred to were widows. The book is on Internet Archive.
Cowban

Offline Rosinish

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Re: Were sponsors' maiden names used on baptism records?
« Reply #8 on: Friday 31 May 19 02:49 BST (UK) »
"I vaguely remember that the women referred to were widows"

I can relate to the above as many Scottish Widows reverted back to their maiden names which is evident on census records although I haven't witnessed it on a baptism so far, not to say it didn't occur.

Annie
South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"