Genealogy Chat

I have been researching my Dad's side of the family and seemed to be doling well with my Grandmothers family but I was advised yesterday by my cousin that my great grandmother had changed her name and had been Jewish. Apparently this was only found when my grandmothers house was being cleared out when she died.

Problem I have is that our family isn't very close so trying to get answers is very hard. My cousin doesn't know much about it. I was wondering if anyone knows how I can go about trying verify or confirming she changed her name? Is there a search engine for name changes?

Did your great grandmother marry in UK ?

Was she born in UK?

A marriage certificate may show her marrying in her new name, but could possibly show her original surname if her father is named on that register.

Gwyn

If her children where born after 1911 a birth certificate may have both names.
if she changed it before their birth

Yes she married in the UK.

The birth record I found for her, had her born in Sunderland, England. However this record may in fact be the wrong one. However despite this I am pretty sure that she was born in the UK.

I found the marriage record for her and my great grandfather;

Isabella Miller and Mark Henderson married in Dec 1916 in Gateshead England

To be honest, I didn't get a copy of the marriage cert as I knew it was the right record. It seems really obvious to check the cert now you point it out. I think this needs to be my next purchase.

Thanks Gwyn

Her children were born in the 20's. So would the birth certificate have her name at the time of the birth and any pervious names?

The birth certificate may just have the maiden name or formally known as and maiden name or just her married name. It depends on the question asked by the registrar to whoever registered the birth and if it was not herself but the father then what answers he gave.

However, I have seen in registers for marriages if there as been a name change that the indexes have two entries, one in her birth name and one is the name she was known as. But from your post I don't think this was case.

We also are assuming it was her surname when in fact it could just as easily of been her forename. My aunty Alice was actually born Frances

Have you found her on the census?

Is Dorothy a relative of Isabella ?

Marriages Dec 1916

Henderson Mark ...Miller ..Gateshead 10a 1467
Miller Dorothy ...Welsher ..Gateshead 10a 1467
Miller Isabella ...Henderson ..Gateshead 10a 1467
Welsher Richard ...Miller ..Gateshead 10a 1467

she may just have angliscised her name ; maybe you can find her on earlier census records if you know what region she lived in try spelling options like Izabella and muller

What is Isabella's birth year?
Thanks

Added:
1900?

I agree with Alisoun.

My grandmother was born a Bloch but married in 1919 as a Blake. She registered her mother's 1918 death as Bloch but is shown in the 1911 as a Blake.

Go figure! :-D

Julie do you know if your G.grandma came to Uk from another country.
i've just looked at some merseyside entrants from various countries

one is named as Andrews otherwise known as harris
more obvious anglisisations are Pinkus known as Pink
rosenberg became Rose

klawettski (sorry not exact spelling ) became clark .

http://www.liverpoolhistoryprojects.co.uk/merseysidealiens/aliensname.htm#MACHHT

And like Detective I have Bloch's in the family who may have become Black ...tho i hadn't thought to try Blake til his(her?) posting
Try putting aname variations eg"miller/muller " in quick search .
or first name / surname plus a date or place in advanced search and see if any other GR members have searched for this family in past or posted any ref to them on boards .