Multi Surnames. Why is it so ?

[Geoff]

I have been working on the family of my 6x great grandparents, Alexander GOW and Margaret ROBERTSON.  When I search for records when dealing with this family there are the connections I'm looking for but I'm presented with records where Alexander has so far come up with 3 different Surnames. There is the normal Alexr GOW then Alexr ROTSON, then Alexr McGlashen.

I have since found that his daughter Isobel married Duncan MOON at Blair Atholl in 1762. Duncan's grandmother was Janet McGLASHAN.  That could be one association.
This is not the first time I have come across this feature of multiple Surnames, Can anyone explain why this is happening.?  Is it a carryover of the Jacobite times, where I could understand the need for alias's being used?  Can anybody help with this question.

Regards
Geoff

[PaulineJ]

Firstly, are you looking at original images or a transcription?

You have a plausible explanation of where the McGlashan comes from; Strikes me that Rotson could easily be a contraction of Robertson

But since what you are doing is basically describing your findings rather than relating them, it's impossible to know exactly what record(s), at what date(s) and from which source(s) you are looking at.

Pauline

[Forfarian]

Rotson and Robertson are not different surnames. Rotson is one of s everal abbreviations of Robertson, just as Alexr is an abbreviation of Alexander.

As for McGlashan, could this have been a mistake by the clerk? (You have looked at the original documents,  haven't you, not just the the indexes or transcriptions?)

It might be worth remembering that Gow is an anglicisation of 'gobha', which is Gaelic for 'smith', and you sometimes find Gows recorded as Smiths.

[Skoosh]

Maybe in a parish full of Robertson's the family has a McGlashan byname to differentiate them from the others & Gow was their occupation as FF has pointed out.

Skoosh.

[Rosinish]

But since what you are doing is basically describing your findings rather than relating them, it's impossible to know exactly what record(s), at what date(s) and from which source(s) you are looking at.

Additionally...in what context?

All the above are important factors in understanding/reasoning for to give comment.

Annie

Add...This was Highland, Scotland, Gaelic spoken where family names/occupations/areas were referred to in order to distinguish people.

[Chilternbirder]

If they were farmers they may also have been known by the name of the farm. This was sometimes done in the north east (of Scotland that is).

The link below is a description of a bothy ballad. The farmer was named Morison but throughout is referred to as "Bogieside" or "Bogie" after the farm
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/84707/13

[Skoosh]

 Burns was known also locally by the names of the farms he tenanted!

Skoosh

[Geoff]

Firstly, are you looking at original images or a transcription?

Hi Pauline,

I have had a look at both original and transcripts, but after another day of searching I have found that all of the names I questioned, are all names that have joined into the GOW family.
If you read some of the replies I received you will also see that there are other reasons of changes due to the Gaelic translation of names.
Thank you for the reply.

Geoff

[Geoff]

Hi Forforian,

Thanks for the reply.  The fact that ROTSON is a form of ROBERTSON still leaves me to ask why would Alexander use his wife's name and not his own. This is fromfamilysearch.com
On Scotlands People, it states the details are from the Church Records which I'm attempting to attach but not having much luck as yet.