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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2003-02 > 1046107892


From: "The Thill Group Inc" <>
Subject: Re: Is Polly another name for...........
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 11:31:32 -0600
References: <26.3549c157.2b8b7863@aol.com>


We have found from the early 1600's until the late 1800's, the Welsh Quakers
[many who moved to Philadelphia, PA, USA, called their Mary's "Polly" as a
nick name also.

Becky T.

----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 7:30 AM
Subject: Re: Is Polly another name for...........


> In a message dated 24/02/03 08:55:21 GMT Standard Time,
> writes:
>
>
> >
> >
> > Richard Smith wrote:
> > > This may be slightly off your topic, but since I've been puzzled for
> > years
> > > by it, I'll add it:
> > >
> > > First and second generation Pennsylvania women from Swiss and German
> > > Palatine families in which little, if any, English was spoken, called
> > > daughters, baptised as Anna Maria, 'Polly.' I've never seen an
example
> > of
> > > 'Molly,' but almost always Anna Maria was 'Polly.' I had always
thought
> > > this to be an English or Scots-Irish practice. My notes have
speculation
> > > that it was a Scots-Irish practice picked up by the German speakers as
> > they
> > > settled among, and then replaced, the Scots-Irish in southeastern and
> > > central Pennsylvania.
> > >
> > > Just a thought. It might be irrelevant.
> >
> >
> > Thanks for that information, which adds another interesting strand to
the
> > debate.
> >
> > It's a bit difficult to put it into any sort of context, as those
claiming
> > "Polly is usually Mary Ann" on soc.genealogy.britain seem unwilling to
> > explain when and where they think this usage evolved (I'm still
presuming
> > that both Polly and Molly would be used for Mary in medieval and early
> > modern times, before "Mary Ann" was common).
> >
> > Chris Phillips
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> In the UK Polly is (now) a pet name for Mary (other pet names for Mary are
> Moll, Molly, Mally, Mamie, Minnie, Poll and Ria). Don't know how Polly
came
> about, but seems to previously been Molly, the same way that Meggy became
> Peggy for Margaret.
>
> Adrian
>

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