Changing Names

[kevinf2349]

Hello,

Well I have eventually ended up with some relatives that ended up in Canada. I know that the family group comprised of husband, wife and infant child. The family group in England was William & Fanny (nee HOLLINGSHEAD) LERWILL with the baby John Richard LERWILL. They were from the Stafford area.
Upon arrival to Canada they are now the JONES family! I know it was common for people arriving to change their names but I don't know why they would do that. I know that John Richard died and his Find-A-Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143512850/john-r-jones?_gl=1*21j2kx*_ga*MTA4NjAyNDgzOS4xNjc2NjY0NDc5*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY3NjgyODM1OC4yLjEuMTY3NjgzMjUzMC42MC4wLjA.*_ga_B2YGR3SSMB*NmMxNWFmY2QtYTMxNS00NWJmLWJkYTItYmI2MDMwNjFiOWZlLjIuMS4xNjc2ODMyNTMwLjYwLjAuMA..has his mother as Fanny Hollingshead and his DOB matches exactly along with being born in England.

My question is, how can I find where the name actually changed? Was it ever recorded officially or did people just decide on the new name and went with it?

Best regards
Kevin

[*Sandra*]

Ontario Deaths -

Fanny (Hollinshead)  Jones 1895 Stafford England - 21 July 1935  (aged 40 years) Nipissing Ontario
[Fanny Hollinshead] -widowed.
Father Jack Hollinngshead and mother Famny Giles
  Informant John Richard Jones. Suite 30, Seven Oaks, Calgary. Alberta.Burial North Bay Cemetery.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JKFZ-1LV

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-Y3ST-L33?i=1622&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AJKFZ-1LV

FIND A GRAVE

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/215754407/fanny-jones

Can't quite read William date of death ??  1905/1906  ??

Sandra

[kevinf2349]

Sandra,

Yes that is the family, of that I am almost certain, but I don't know when, where or why the changed from LERWILL to JONES. I assume it would have been on entry to Canada. I am looking for official documentation, if there is any.

Best regards
Kevin

[*Sandra*]

Chances are there will be no documentation. Have you traced the family on census since there arrival 1884 to show where they might have been living.  Canada is a big place ?

According to the 1916 Medicine Hat, Alberta. census for John R Jones and Carrie.  John Jones immigrated in 1884.

Sandra

[kevinf2349]

Sandra,

I haven't expended any time yet as I wanted to be 100% sure that these were the same people. It looks like they, more than likely are, so I shall dig deeper.

Thanks
Kevin

[*Sandra*]

No clues on the death certificate for John Richard Jones - father given as William Jones and mother Fanny Hollingshead. No reference to Lerwill.

https://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/54bb0fad-5638-42a1-a98a-8d31a0ebdcad

Sandra

[kevinf2349]

Sandra,

As far as I can tell, Fanny and John arrived as JONES on the SS Circassian in 1884.

Detail Source
Name:   Fanny Jones
Gender:   Female
Arrival Age:   22
Birth Year:   abt 1862
Departure Port:   Liverpool, England; Londonderry, Ireland
Arrival Date:   10 Nov 1884
Arrival Port:   Quebec, Quebec, Canada
Vessel:   Circassian

Still looking for any mention of William. I am going to order the Birth certificate for John Richard and see what that throws up.

I have found a record for a Fanny Jones returning to England as a Widow in 1896 but I don't know if that is her yet or not.
Thanks
Kevin

[*Sandra*]

Unlikely there would be documentation in Canada if they arrived as Jones.  No passports required at that time. The modern form of the Canadian passport came about in 1921.

England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

John Richard Lerwill - Birth Date 25 Jan 1883
Baptism Date 23 Jun 1883 - Baptism Place St. Mary, Stafford, Stafford, England
Father William Lerwill - Mother Fanny.

Sandra

[kevinf2349]

Unlikely there would be documentation in Canada if they arrived as Jones.  No passports required at that time. The modern form of the Canadian passport came about in 1921.

England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

John Richard Lerwill - Birth Date 25 Jan 1883
Baptism Date 23 Jun 1883 - Baptism Place St. Mary, Stafford, Stafford, England
Father William Lerwill - Mother Fanny.

Sandra

That is them. I tried searching for a death in Canada of a William Jones born in England but I don't see any that fit prior to 1896 so I suspect the Widow Fanny Jones may not be the correct one. The search continues!

Kevin