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From: "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>
Subject: [Genealogy Bits and Pieces] Common Nicknames & Their Origins by Kimberly Powell .. Sorry if this is a duplication
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 19:02:55 -0700

How many times have you run across a family in the census which looks like
yours, but the names aren't quite right? Or you find what appears to be your
great-grandpa's marriage license, except that it says he's married to
someone named Martha, instead of your great-grandma Patsy? Our ancestors'
seemingly changing names often leave us puzzled and frustrated, when in fact
such apparent name changes are often just a result of the recording of an
individual's nickname or middle name in the official records

Many of us are known by different names to our family, friends, and business
associates - and it was no different for our ancestors.

Nicknames can sometimes be difficult to catch, however. "Kim" as a nickname
for "Kimberly" is fairly straightforward, but "Polly" as a nickname for
Mary" and "Peggy" as a nickname for "Margaret" have tripped up many
genealogists. Sometimes nicknames were formed by adding a "y" or "ey" to the
end of a name or part of a name - i.e. "Johnny" for "John" or "Penny" for
Penelope." Other times the name was shortened in some manner - i.e. "Kate"
for "Katherine." But sometimes it is just a matter of knowing which
nicknames were commonly used in a particular time and place. That's why it
is important, as a genealogist, to familiarize yourself with commonly used
nicknames and their corresponding given names.

Do not forget, however, that what appears to be a nickname isn't always -
many nicknames became so popular that they later came to be bestowed as
given names. My father's name is Larry - which is not short for Lawrence as
many might assume. And my great-grandmother really was baptized as "Effie,"
not Euphemia or Evelyn.

For more information:
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/surname/a/nicknames.htm#b


Sally Rolls Pavia
Sun City, AZ

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• [Genealogy Bits and Pieces] Common Nicknames & Their Origins by Kimberly Powell .. Sorry if this is a duplication by "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>