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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2003-02 > 1046109609


From: "Gordon Banks" <>
Subject: RE: Is Polly another name for...........
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 10:00:13 -0800
In-Reply-To: <MCEMJEDENIHEFICCLPEEMEFADKAA.geb@gordonbanks.com>


Mary was "Polly" in the American South in the 19th Century also.
I have several cases of that in my tree. These are Scots-Irish
hillbillies.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The Thill Group Inc [mailto:]
> > Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 9:32 AM
> > To:
> > Subject: Re: Is Polly another name for...........
> >
> >
> > 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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