What does the term 'alias' mean? *COMPLETED*

[Westy11]

I do understand the concept of an alias but unclear as to the implications and its use for genealogical purposes.

For example: Jane COGGER & Thomas FOSTER married in Sandhurst, Kent 14 Jan 1666/67.

Tyler has recorded the marriage as per the clipping attached.  The term 'alias' is used when referring to Thomas FOSTER as FOSTER als Adams & Jane COGGER.

How should Thomas surname be recorded and the surname of issue of the marriage?  When attempting to locate Thomas' parents do you search for FOSTER or FOSTER alias ADAMS?

Why has Tyler used different coloured ink???

Westy

[Guy Etchells]

It simply means he used the name Adams at some other time.

The green ink seems to be a correction of the later entry (arrowed) to include the alias.

Cheers
Guy

[Craclyn]

Record it as Thomas Foster then set up an alternative name (also known as) Thomas Adams. When you are searching for other records for him you will need to search on Thomas Foster then on Thomas Adams as you have no way of knowing which name he used when. Do not put «Foster or Adams» into the search. That will just confuse the search engine.

[PrawnCocktail]

Where I am, there was a family in the early 17th century known as Fitzhugh als Caporn. Entries in the PRs can be under either name.

In 1531 Thomas Capron married into the Fitzhugh family, and his descendants supposedly adopted the name Fitzhugh. My guess is there was money involved somewhere! But the knowledge of what their real surname was appears not to have been lost, and by around a hundred years later the Caprorn surname was coming out again. Presumably the money was all spent!

Another use, somewhat later, was to signify illegitimacy - with the child entitled to use his mothers surname, his fathers surname and sometimes his step-father's surname as well,  using als was quite a common way for people to keep track.

[Westy11]

Thanks so much Guy, Craclyn & Prawn Cocktail,
All good ideas, I will also look for a Will.
Westy

[Guy Etchells]

Where I am, there was a family in the early 17th century known as Fitzhugh als Caporn. Entries in the PRs can be under either name.

In 1531 Thomas Capron married into the Fitzhugh family, and his descendants supposedly adopted the name Fitzhugh. My guess is there was money involved somewhere! But the knowledge of what their real surname was appears not to have been lost, and by around a hundred years later the Caprorn surname was coming out again. Presumably the money was all spent!

Their real name was the name they used at the time, here in the UK the only way to change your name is to use a new name that then becomes ones legal name. Some individuals and indeed families use the alias for generations.

Another use, somewhat later, was to signify illegitimacy - with the child entitled to use his mothers surname, his fathers surname and sometimes his step-father's surname as well,  using als was quite a common way for people to keep track.

[/quote]
Sorry but that is not accurate legally an illegitimate child was a child of no one not even his/her mother, until  the Legitimacy Act, 1926. He/she was not entitled to use his/her mother's name nor his/her father's name. He/she could assume the same surname of either but the assumed name would not be legally be their name. It may be hard to understand the difference but there is a difference.
The continued use of alias stems from the requirements of legally changing one's name, it must not be done to deceive, by adding alias no one could make out one was trying to hide their past by going under a different name.

Cheers
Guy

[Andrew Tarr]

Another use, somewhat later, was to signify illegitimacy - with the child entitled to use his mothers surname, his fathers surname and sometimes his step-father's surname as well,  using als was quite a common way for people to keep track.

And of course 'fitz' usually indicated illegitimacy anyway ....