Genealogy Chat

Hi, If anyone knows can you please tell me if Marion was a girls or boys name, or where i can find this information out myself. It is just when looking at records there seem to be alot of Marions with second names that look very much like boys names for eg. john and james. Thank you sophie

There are a few other names like this: Shirley Crabtree - alias Big Daddy the wrestler comes to mind..... Also, Christian, now generally a boys name, was generally a girls name in the 1800's. (I had two on my tree with the wrong sex for years lol) Sarah

Thank you both, but that is not much help, I wanted a definate Marion was a boys name, Marian was a girls name. My aunt is Marion , but I was hoping that it had changed through time. oh well, this wishful thinking is not helping me much at all. sophie x

As far as I know Mario/an can be male or female. So that's no help to you either lol Sarah

No you are right, that is no help at all, apart from putting me right, but thanks all the same, sophie x

Strictly speaking Marion should be a boy Marian a girl But I think over the years that has been put aside. This would come from say the Italian - Mario being a boy but Maria being a girl. I expect that isnt any help either!

marion is both Male and female marian is Male from my big book of names! surnames placenames and there meanings ;-)

Thankyou all, but I am just getting even more confused, I think what you are all saying is that basically they are both used as both male and female names, I am enquiring because on 1901 census poss. grt granny is Marian but on grandfathers birth cert she was Marion, I was hoping one was a mistake and that it is the same person, I would be able to tell this if one was definately for men and the other women. Oh well I still could be a mistake. Again thank you all and goodnight sophie x

You are quite right Sophie - you can't really use the spelling as evidence for the census entry being the right or wrong person. Was your Marion ever married? if she was, then her father's name and occupation would be on her marriage cert (as long as she wasn't illegitimate!), which might help confirm things in 1901. If she never married, then that's when things get much harder to sort out in the time frame you are talking about. Do you know when she died? If after 1966 her date of birth (supplied by the informant of the death, so depends on how much they knew, as to whether it will be right or not lol) should appear in the Death reg indexes. That might help trace the right birth cert. Sarah

my nan was from wales it was spelt marion she had a very good friend from brighton she was called marian i think its spelt the way its most populiar where you lived annette

I've had a lot of 'Mary Ann's' who have become 'Marian's' in censuses! I've only come across it as a girl's name so far though.