Kevin
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| Census returns (21st Apr 10 at 11:57am UTC)
Frequency of Forename | | Ever wondered why it seems to be so difficult to find the "right" Vanstone in the census returns?
Well I have! Many times! 
I have just done some analysis and found the following from 1841:
Mary occurs 76 times
John 57 times
William 43 times
Elizabeth 41 times
Ann 39 times.
James 35 times
Jane 31 times
That's from a total of 611 Vanstone, Vanston individuals.
Just 7 forenames account for over half of all Vanstones!
In 1881 the picture changes slightly:
Mary 76 times
William 76 times
John 63 times
Elizabeth 58 times
Ann 46 times
James 42 times
Richard 30 times
Samuel 24 times and
Sarah 24 times.
That's from a total of 940 Vanstone/Vanston individuals.
Now we find 9 forenames accounting for not quite half of all Vanstones.
No wonder I get confused.
I wonder how many married couples we can find with the same 2 forenames? I.E. William & Mary.
Next time I am bored at work, I'll try to work it out.
Regards,
Kevin | |
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Barbara Moore
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| | Re: Census returns (12th Jul 10 at 11:22pm UTC) | | There were two Benjamin Vanstones married to two different Mary Chammings - in the same parish, at the same time. Almost impossible to work out what children belonged to which couple.
We do have a few odder names along with the rest. Tristram? Wilmot? They are quite useful for tracing family lines.
Barbara | |
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Kevin
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| | Re: Census returns (14th Jul 10 at 11:30am UTC) | | Certain forenames seem to be popular in certain areas.
I seem to remember (can't remember where or when) somebody telling me that Tristram was popular in Cornwall?
Just as Juan (pronounced Joo-Ann) is almost only found in the Isle of Man.
Kevin | |
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Barbara Moore
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| | Re: Census returns (15th Jul 10 at 11:38am UTC) | | And Milborough in Hereford.
Tristram was supposed to be Cornish in origin, according to the legend, though interestingly it seems to have become more common in Yorkshire by 1881. I'm going by the Surname Atlas, which covers given names too. Tamsin (or Thomasin) was largely restricted to Devon and Cornwall, but I was surprised to find that Wilmot, which I had never heard of as a girl's name until I researched the Vanstones, was still hugely popular in Cornwall in 1881 and virtually unknown elsewhere.
Keeping names in the family does help. There was a tradition of naming children first after grandparents, then after parents, so it helps when looking for previous generations.
Barbara | |
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