Genealogy Chat

I am struggling with finding my grandfather's ancestors. Rumour has it that he changed his name (or it was changed for him when he was a child). I have found what appears to be his previous surname on a 1911 census, but I have his birth certificate (copy) and marriage certificate which have his known name. Can a birth certificate be re-written or am I on a totally false trail? Can you advise me please? :-S

You might be on a false trail.

There are however many reasons why a surname might have been changed and then changed back again. The most common being if the child's mother was widowed or abandoned and then began an association with another man. In such circumstances the child may have become known by the man's name but reverted to its own surname when old enough to marry ect.

If you wish to post some details I am sure that someone will take a look to try to assist you.

I agree with Jonesey, I have seen many cases where a child was given the step-father's surname on the census but then reverted to his legal birth name at time of marriage. Do you have his father's name on the birth certificate? And can you find a death of his father and a re-marriage of his mother?

A birth certificate can be amended, usually (but not always) denoted by /s on the bmd index. If you want to post the details maybe someone else can take a look - many eyes better than 2!

Thanks for all the replies so far; Flip - my grandfather's name is Leonard Dodd b 27/10/1896 in Haslington, Crewe, Cheshire. parents - Alfred Dodd and Annie Cotton. The other name that I am finding in the censuses is Palin. The birth certificate I have is a copy. Any help would be appreciated as I am tearing my hair out with this one.

He's Palin in 1901:

1901 England Census
about Leonard Palin Name: Leonard Palin
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Alfred Palin
Mother's Name: Annie Palin
Gender: Male
Where born: Haslington, Cheshire, England

Civil Parish: Haslington
Ecclesiastical parish: St Matthew
County/Island: Cheshire
Country: England

Registration District: Nantwich
Sub-registration District: Crewe
ED, institution, or vessel: 47
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Schedule Number: 73
Piece: 3354
Folio: 123
Page Number: 11
Household Members: Name Age
Alfred Palin 31
Annie Palin 32
Frank Palin 10
Millie Palin 9
Florence Palin 6
Leonard Palin 4
James Palin 2
Martha Oakes 64

I see what you mean, Patricia, very puzzling! His birth is for Leonard Dodd and his parents' marriage was Alfred Dodd & Annie Cotton but in both 1901 and 1911 censuses the surname is Palin. I don't understand!

UK, Railway Employment Records, 1833-1956 about Leonard Dodd
Name: Leonard Dodd
Birth Date: 27 Oct 1896
Residence Date: 24 Feb 1911
Age: 14
Company: London and North Western
Description: MR series registers 1908 - 1911

Curioser & curioser! That Railway employment record is dated 24 Feb. and he's Leonard Dodd. aged 14 but the census was 2 April and he's Leonard Palin, aged 14, railway worker.

Thanks Margee and Helen.

This is what I find so frustrating, Margee. I have just trawled through his "supposed siblings" using the name Dodd and nothing comes up, but put in Palin and hey presto!

Forenames:AlfredSurname:DoddMarriage Date:01 Feb 1890Marriage Year:1890Age:20yRecord Group:Part 1 - 1Ref ID:item 6 p 111Spouse's Forenames:AnnieSpouse's Surname:CottonSpouse's Age:21ySpouse's Father's Name:Noah CottonParish:BarthomleyCity / Town:BarthomleyCounty:CheshireRecord source:Diocese of Chester parish registers of Marriages c1538-1910 Data provider:Cheshire Archives and Local Studies

His father was, I think, George Dodd, Labourer
Witnesses Hannah Cotton and John Farrington or Harrington
The bride and groom were batchelor and spinster.
Noah Cotton was a labourer

Ann Cotton 1881
Alsager was the place of residence for bride and groom at the time of Annie's marriage


Name: Noah Cotton
Age: 62
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1819
Relationship to Head: Head
Spouse: Ann Cotton
Gender: Male
Where born: Wheelock, Cheshire, England
Civil Parish: Alsager
County/Island: Cheshire
Country: England
Street Address: Sunny Side
Marital Status: Married
Education:

Employment status:

View Image
Occupation: Laborer
Registration District: Congleton
Sub-registration District: Sandbach
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 3537
Folio: 5
Page Number: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
Noah Cotton 62
Ann Cotton 48
Noah Cotton 14
Annie Cotton 12
Frank Cotton 7
Frederick Cotton 4
William Cotton 1

Looking back through the census Alfred has been recorded a Palin, as are his parents George & Fanny right back to 1871 - think this is him and Annie with their first child:

Alfred Palin
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Annie Palin
Gender: Male
Where born: Haslington, Cheshire, England

Civil Parish: Haslington
Ecclesiastical parish: Haslington
County/Island: Cheshire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration District: Nantwich
Sub-registration District: Crewe
ED, institution, or vessel: 37
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2854
Folio: 23
Page Number: 3
Household Members: Name Age
Alfred Palin 21
Annie Palin 22
Francis Alfred Palin 10/12

But there's no birth reg for Francis under the name Palin:

Births Sep 1890 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dodd Francis Alfred Nantwich 8a 332

Don't know what to make of it, strange.

Another railway employment record, although his name has been crossed through on the image - surname is Palin, first names Alfred Dodd (no s)

Alfred Dodds Palin
Birth Date: abt 1870
Residence Date: 24 Oct 1888
Age: 18
Company: London and North Western
Description: AL series registers 1887 - 1898

Alfred in 1871?

Alfred Palin
Age: 12 Months
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
Relation: Son
Father's Name: George Palin
Mother's Name: Fanny Palin
Gender: Male
Where born: Haslington, Cheshire, England
Civil Parish: Haslington
Ecclesiastical parish: Haslington
Town: Haslington
County/Island: Cheshire
Country: England
Registration District: Nantwich <<<
Sub-registration District: Wybunbury
ED, institution, or vessel: 27
Household Schedule Number: 97
Piece: 3711
Folio: 41
Page Number: 20
Household Members: Name Age
George Palin 26
Fanny Palin 27
Samuel Palin 5
Alfred Palin 12 Months
Philip Butler 23

The only Alfred Palin birth in Nantwich was in June qtr 1870, but a death reg in Sept qtr. So I don't think Alfred was registered under Palin.

Thank you so much everyone for your time - I see you are all as confused as me, now. I'm beginning to think that the rumour of him changing his name is very true, but when and why it happened remains a mystery, and it does make tracing his ancestors rather difficult.

I think it may stem back to the birth of Alfred's father,

Births Jun 1845 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DODD George Nantwich 19 164

and the subsequent marriage of parents (reg Sept qtr 1845)?

Cheshire Marriage indexes for the years: 1845
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
DODD Maria PALIN George Nantwich, St Mary & St Nicholas Cheshire Central 1066/1/286

Looks like George jnr also married under the name Dodd:

Cheshire Marriage indexes for the years: 1861 to 1865
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
DODD George BUTLER Fanny Nantwich, Civil Marriage Cheshire Central NA/3/199

Although they appear on the census as Palin.

I think Francis Alfred may have died as a baby or been adopted out, as I can't find him again.

The lodger in 1871 looks like Fanny's brother;

Philip Buttler
Age: 5
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1846
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Eliza Buttler
Gender: Male
Where born: Hanmer, Flintshire, Wales
Civil Parish or Township: Bettisfield <<<<<
Ecclesiastical parish: St Asaph
County/Island: Flintshire
Country: Wales
Registration District: Ellesmere
Sub-registration District: Overton
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Piece: 1994
Folio: 102
Page Number: 18
Household Schedule Number: 66
Household Members: Name Age
Eliza Buttler 36
Ann Buttler 13
Fanney Buttler 8 <<<<
Philip Buttler 5
Sarah Buttler 2

Fanny was born Battisfield according to 1871 census.

I think Francis Alfred was called Frank on the later census, I'll take another look - yes he's on the 1901 census that was posted earlier in the thread.