An Index to Changes of Name
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UC-NRLF AN INDEX TO B 3 fiTT 211 >K^'.mk CHANGES m^'}^' OF NAME ^m 1760 TO 1901 i'l'±'<<m ^ '.mm W.P.W.PHILLIMORE AND E.A. FRY ^1.<-">.'^ W ;>xi >y<<'K< y^^^mm^ LONDON MDCCGCV CHANGES OF NAME, 1760 TO 1 90 1, AN INDEX TO Cbangee of H^ainc Under Authority of Act of Parliament or Royal Licence and including Irregular Changes from I GEORGE III to 64 VICTORIA, 1760 to 1 90 1, COMPILED BY W. p. W. PHILLIMORE & EDW. ALEX. FRY, With an Introduction on the Xaw of Cbanae of IFlame BY W. p. W. PHILLIMORE. London : Phillimore & Co., 124, Chancery Lane. T905. <A ,^^^ C^.%^ c. IRote to tbe IRea&ev. 'HPHE compilation of the present index was commenced several years ago, and has proved a longer and more tedious task than at the outset was anticipated. It was at first intended to include only changes of name efifected under the royal sign manual, or by the authority of a private act of parliament. But so many changes have been effected irregularly within the last half century, that it was thought it would be a matter of some practical utility if they also could be included, even though they were without authority, and this accordingly has been done, though it has somewhat delayed the completion of the index, and added in no small degree to the labour of compiling it. But if it adds to the utility of the index, the compilers will be fully satisfied. The sources from which this index has been compiled are several. Primarily it is based on the Changes of Name by Royal licence. For this purpose the volumes of the London Gazette, and also the Dublin Gazette from 1760 to 1901 were examined, but it must be remembered that not all Royal licences are advertised in the Gazettes, though the vast majority are so advertised for obvious reasons of convenience, and often also in the " Times " and other newspapers Registration at Heralds' College only, is a sufficient compliance with the Royal licence granted. Next, this list comprises those names changed under the authority of Private Acts of Parliament, a method now but little resorted to. In this list they, as a rule, are indicated simply by the usual references of year of the reign and chapter by which such Acts are usually referred to, but occasionally also the reference to the Index to Private Acts of Parliament is also quoted. The next class are those changes made, suo motu, without any licence or Act of Parliament, and these, which are usually evidenced by deeds poll and simple advertisement, have been taken chiefly from the columns of the "Times," though, as this method of irregular change did not become frequent till somewhat less than 50 years ago, it was not thought necessary to search the "Times" before the year 1861. These changes are indicated by the word. "Times," and the date of issue, and when accompanied by a deed poll, that fact is indicated by the initials d.p. Some changes are not advertised in the " Times," and these it has not been found practical to include with any degree of completeness, but when they have come under notice, they have always been inserted, though unfortunately, as in some cases they aie taken from small collections of 4S7133 ; vi. Note to the Reader. change of name advertisements, in which the source was not always given, it has not been found possible to indicate in every case the newspaper in which the advertisement appeared. Some few also are included which have not even been advertised, and the authority for these rests on information given to the Editors, though they have not included any such, unless satisfied that they have been in permanent use. With these irregular changes it has been thought well, for the sake of identification, to give nearly all particulars which are stated in the advertisements. So much more information than could be given in an Index like this is, may be obtained from the Heralds' Office, that in the cases of Royal licence changes, it has been thought best merely to supply the reference and the initials of the Christian names. Besides the changes just referred to, there are those Scottish ones recorded in the Registers of the Lord Lyon, in Edinburgh, and the Irish changes noted in Ulsters Office in Dublin. The latter are advertised in the Dublin Gazette, just as in England they appear in the London Gazette. In some cases they appear in both Gazettes. In addition to the regular changes entered in Ulster OfHce, there is there a short list of various irregular changes noted by a former Ulster, W. Betham, and distinguished in this Index under his name. It may be noted that very considerable help may be derived by the genealogist from changes of name made in pursuance of a Royal licence. By the terms of the licence such changes have to be entered at Heralds' College. In the greater number of cases it will be found that pedigrees have been consequently recorded there, and in the majority of cases, a grant of Arms has been made to the person effecting a change of name. Often, too, in the London Gazette, and also in the Dublin Gazette, the advertisements themselves contain a short recital of the pedigree, or the reason for the change. Less information is obtainable from irregular changes, and in not a few cases the advertiser does not even trouble to supply his address, or gives merely a temporary one. In consulting this Index the following points must be noted : — It is primarily an Index to names adopted thus : Smith : Jones, A. 6 June, iSio (1461) means : Smith, adopted by A. Jones, under a Royal licence dated 6 June, 1810 ; advertised on page 1461 of the London Gazette for 1810. The name discarded is also indexed with a cross reference thus Jones sec Smith. — Note to the Reader. vii. No particulars are given under the entry of the diicaided name. Cases in which the Christian name, or its equivalent is altered, arc indexed only once, and that under the surname. When merely a date appears, the reader will understand that such an entry relates to an irregular change, for which the compilers are unable to give precise authority, though they are satisfied that such a change did actually take place. In most cases this lack of authority arises from their having been obtained from some newspaper cutting to which the reference has not been attached. The figures within parenthesis following a simple date relate to the London Gazette. Before the year 17S5, the figures indicate the several numbers of the Gazette itself; from that date onwards the Gazette is paged consecutively for each year, and thenceforward these figures indicate the page of the Gazette. The dates following names indicate, as a general rule, the date of the Royal licence; in irregular cases they refer to the date of the " Times ' in which the advertisement was first published : occasionally it may be found that they indicate the date of the deed poll. The following contractions have been made use of ; Betham = a list made by W. Betham, Ulster, about 1810. con. = continue the name of com. = commonly. D.C. = Dublin Castle. D.G. = Dublin Gazette. d. p. = deed poll. Lyon = Lyon Register, Edinburgh. L.G. = London Gazette. R.L. = Royal Licence. St. J. = St. James. W. Wll. or Whll. = Whitehall. Various other contractions have also been adopted which will cause the reader no difiiculty. Finally, it is requisite to express our obligations for help given in the compilation of this index, without which it would have been still less complete than it is. The late Garter King of Arms, Sir Albert Woods, K.C.B., had formed a large colleccion of irregular changes of name which he courteously placed at the Compilers' service, and aided in the work by his advice, whilst his colleague, Mr. G. E. Cokayne, Clarenceux King of Arms, also allowed viii. Note to the Reader. his collection of changes to be made use of for this index. Sir James Balfour Paul, Lord Lyon, supplied the references in Lyon's Register, and Sir Arthur Vicars, Ulster King of Arms, supplied a list of Irish changes, whilst both the last-named scanned many of the proof sheets as regards other changes with which they are officially concerned. In Ireland too, the help of Mr. Burtchael, of Ulster's Office, must be acknowledged ; and thanks are due to others who have occasionally added some changes which would otherwise have escaped notice. This list of changes of name, large as it is, and it has proved far larger than ths Editors ever anticipated, is by no means complete. Not only is it certain that many changes, regular and irregular, are not recorded, but no attempt has been made to deal with those made before the first year of George III. The Compilers' having in view the issue hereafter of a supplement, will be glad to have note of any changes made before 1760, whether regular or informal. In the latter case the fullest particulars should be given, and the authority should be carefully stated. And in these changes may be included the cases of aliases which are found in wills of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, many of which seem to have been the ancient equivalent of our modern " double-barrelled " names. Lastly, as it is certain that in an index now for the first time compiled, and dealing with so large a number of facts, there must of necessity be eryors and omissions, any corrections will be specially valued, and when received will be carefully noted for inclusion in the proposed supplement.