Mystery surname

[stewpot72]

This is a follow up to an earlier post as I have uncovered further details.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=842226.0
My G G Grandmother, Henrietta Stewart, married John Barton in 1847 and on the birth certificate for just one of her children she records her name as Henrietta Sherlock Barton, nee Stewart. Sherlock was the puzzling bit - where had this come from?
Her father, Robert Stewart, was a retired sergeant major in the 29th foot, so I wrote to the now Worcestershire regiment to see what records they had for him and to see if they could shed any light on the name. No Robert Stewart on their records anywhere. In a moment of inspiration, I asked if they had any records for Robert Sherlock instead and BINGO!!
Robert Sherlock was born in Co. Carlow and, after serving in the Wexford Militia, he enlisted in the 19th foot regiment in September 1812. He served for almost 25 years, and at one time was based in Mauritius for around 8 years. This is where Henrietta says she was born. He retired, as a sergeant major, in 1834.
Any thoughts on why, apparently after his army service, he changed his name to Stewart? Was it because he was Irish but had served in the British army? And when? I can't think he did it while he was serving - I don't know if the army would have allowed that.

[CaroleW]

No birthyear given for Henrietta or marriage location.  Freebmd shows marriage was in Liverpool - cert shows her as "full age"

Have you found Henrietta or her father on the 1841 census?

[stewpot72]

I believe Henrietta was born around 1826 when her father was posted to Mauritius. No, I can't find Henrietta or her father on the 1841 census but I have Henrietta's details for 1851 to 1871. She married John Barton in September 1847.

[CaroleW]

1851 her birthplace is East Indies - 1825
1861 - Isle of France 1823 ( this could be Mauritius)
1871 East Indies 1827

[stewpot72]

Thank you Carole but it’s Richard Sherlock I am interested in and why he changed his name.

[mona lisa]

Nom de guerre   
war  surname taken for military duty
1.assumed surname to perhaps protect family from reprisals
                          2. break from the past
                          3.a dissociation from domestic life
 

[stewpot72]

Many thanks. Are you thinking that he took on the name Sherlock for his military service then perhaps reverted or changed to Stewart afterwards?

[Ayashi]

Could he potentially have used a surname because of a well known person with the same surname (regardless of whether or not he was actually related to that person)? That could be positive or negative- avoiding association with that person, or playing up to an association with that person?

[Rena]

I've had a look at two webpages to get a sense of the history at the time your ggf lived.

Genuki shows that he was born in a predominantly Catholic area and the other website shows the activities of the Irish Finnian dissidents wanting home rule.   It was only in recent memory that Prince Charles (for example) was allowed to marry  a person of the Catholic faith.

During one TV programme of "Who Do You Think You Are"., one Catholic Priest showed the names in his parish records and said that he saw his parishioners walk across the fields to be registered in the protestant church records in order to get a job, because at that time Catholics were the last in line for applications for work.

This makes me think that he deliberately chose not to use his Scottish/Irish surname of Stewart/Stuart and used the English "Sherlock" surname to protect his kith and kin.

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/CAR

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Irish_uprisings