Tag: name variations

Name Variations and Peculiarities in Irish Vital Records

This eBook describes many surname and christian name variations and peculiarities and may help you find that elusive Irish ancestor in birth, death and marriage records.

Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland Robert Mathson

“Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland” by Robert Matheson could help in tracing Irish ancestors in parish records. It can be viewed online.

The many Christian and surname variations in Irish records can make finding the right one diffficult.

These name variations are not just in spelling. Entirely different names are sometimes used synonymously by the same person or by members of the same family.

One of my gggrandfathers was sometimes called Bryan and at other times Bernard. In this book I discovered that Bryan was the anglecised Irish form of the English name Bernard.

Name Variations Ireland p9

Name variations ireland p10

Name Variations Ireland p11 Name Variations Ireland 12 Name Variations Ireland 13 Name Variations Ireland 14 Name Variations Ireland 15

Name Variations Ireland 12

Name Variations Ireland 13 Name Variations Ireland 14 Name Variations Ireland 15

Name Variations Ireland p16

Name Variations Ireland p17 Name Variations Ireland p18

Name Variations Ireland p19 Name Variations Ireland p20

Name Variations Ireland p21 Name Variations Ireland p22 Name Variations Ireland p23 Name Variations Ireland p24 Name Variations Ireland p25 Name Variations Ireland p26 Name Variations Ireland p27 Name Variations Ireland p28

 

Name Variations Ireland p29 Name Variations Ireland p30

There is a section in this book called “Alphabetical List of Surnames with their Varieties and synonymes” which gives the variant surnames.

Fanning surname variations in Ireland
Fanning variant surnames in Ireland and also in Australia.

 

Irish Nick Names and Alternative Given Names

A list of alternative Irish given names, for example Biddy is used for Bridget and Ned for Edward.

In searching for Irish ancestors remember that the Irish used a lot of shortened or alternative names for example Biddy for Bridget and Sally for Sarah.

Rootsireland has a good section on alternative first names.

This can be confusing. Below are some that I have come across:

Female christian names:

Abbey, Abigail, Deborah, Debby for Gobinet or Gobnait;

Anty or Anto for Anastatia;

Bessy, Betty, Beth for Elizabeth;

Biddy for Bridget; Cis for Cecelia;

Daisy for Mary;

Dot for Dorothy;

Fanny for Frances;

Judith for Johanna;

Kitty for Katharine;

May for Mary;

Minnie for Mary;

Mollie for Mary;

Nancy for ?;

Nanno for Honora;

Nellie for Ellen, Eleanor or Helen;

Nora for Hanora;

Peggy for Margaret;

Sally for Sarah;

Male Christain names:

Anto for Anthony;

Con and Connor for Cornelius;

Darby or Derby for Jeremiah

Edmund, Edward and Edmond are used for each other;

Ned for Edward.

This very old book “Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland” by Robert E Matheson 1901 can be read online at Archive.org. The following pages deal with alternative christian names.

Christian Names cpt4 p1

Name Variations Ireland p27

Name Variations Ireland p28

Name Variations Ireland p29

Name Variations Ireland p30