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Family using two different surnames across multiple generations

  • 16-01-2020 5:17pm
    #1
    RGM
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭


    I recently had a breakthrough with something that’s been a thorn in my side for years, but the answers have only raised more questions. I found that a family used one surname in church records and another in civil records across several generations. I’m not sure why. The surnames are Reynolds and Troy.

    The earliest records I have so far are three Waterford baptisms from the 1840s for children of Christopher Reynolds and Mary Phelan/Whelan. The family then appears in the 1861 census in Liverpool using the name Troy, and their son Edward continues using the name Troy in censuses through at least 1901. During this time numerous marriages and baptisms occur in the family still using the name Reynolds. There is actually one baptism of a grandchild of Christopher and Mary that says “Troy alias Reynolds.” My first step into this family was when I got the 1870 civil birth record of my great-great-grandmother and her mother’s maiden name was listed as Troy.

    Any ideas? I still have a lot of work to do as I just made this discovery on Tuesday. I’m just wondering if there’s an obvious explanation staring me in the face I haven’t thought of.


Comments

  • #2
    hblock21
    Registered Users Posts: 735 ✭✭✭hblock21


    Did Christopher Reynolds die and Mary Phelan marry again to Troy. And not to complicate things the children used the surname Troy??


  • #3
    RGM
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭RGM


    hblock21 wrote: »
    Did Christopher Reynolds die and Mary Phelan marry again to Troy. And not to complicate things the children used the surname Troy??

    No, Christopher himself is in the 1861 census as Christopher Troy.

    Although I suppose I should make sure she didn’t marry another Christopher!


  • #4
    pinkypinky
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,613 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    That's very odd.

    Have you checked MacLysaght/Grenham in case there's a known correlation between these surnames?

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • #5
    hblock21
    Registered Users Posts: 735 ✭✭✭hblock21


    RGM wrote: »
    Although I suppose I should make sure she didn’t marry another Christopher!

    ya, I think you need to check that its the same Christopher.


  • #6
    RGM
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭RGM


    pinkypinky wrote: »
    That's very odd.

    Have you checked MacLysaght/Grenham in case there's a known correlation between these surnames?

    Yes. No correlation that I can see.

    I’ve since found a couple civil records that also use Reynolds, so it doesn’t appear to be a strict church/government divide.


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  • #7
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,100 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Searching idly, I found a transcript of graves in Kilkenny which also has a Phelan/Troy alias along with a Walsh/Troy, so there is certainly something worth investigating regarding the links between names.
    http://kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/st-canices-cathedral_KAS.pdf (.pdf file)


  • #8
    RGM
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭RGM


    spurious wrote: »
    Searching idly, I found a transcript of graves in Kilkenny which also has a Phelan/Troy alias along with a Walsh/Troy, so there is certainly something worth investigating regarding the links between names.
    http://kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/st-canices-cathedral_KAS.pdf (.pdf file)

    Thanks for the tip!


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