How Can I Find Out Why My G Grandfather Changed His Family Name
I never knew my paternal grandfather, and until late in life I never had the time or inclination to research family history. As the family scattered (from England) throughout the world we all lost touch. I ended up in S.Africa. I am therefore not able to visit any UK archives.
Between the 1861 and 1881 censuses of Leeds, Yorkshire the surname was changed from Taylor to Taylor Tunnington, (no hyphen).
The Commercial genealogy firms cannot give me an answer, although they offer to "search" for a sizeable fee! As I am on a modest pension I cannot justify unnessary expenditure on a search.
Does anyone have suggestion on this problem?
Incidentally we though that Tunnington was uncommon, but I have been surprised at the large number of people with that family name, (none connected).
DerekT.
There could be any number of reasons for changing a surname. There two most common reasons are:
1 - your grand father also took the surname of his wife when they married.
2 - his mother remarried and he took the surname of his step father.
What was your g/fathers name, dob, marriage to who, parents if known ?
G'father was William Henry Taylor Tunnington. He was born 1864 as William Henry Taylor. In the 1881 census in Leeds Yorkshire he appears as William Henry Taylor Tunnington.His father was John Taylor, b.1839. John married Sarah Glover(widow),born Richardson in Leeds. . There were two sons, William and Thomas. William did not pass on the Taylor name to my branch, but Thomas' branch continued to use the Taylor middle name. I never knew WHTT and my father did not speak of him.(A black sheep!)
This looks like your William Henry Taylor Tunnington, do you know if he married twice because the spouse here is Frances Pinder
West Yorkshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
Name: William Henry Taylor Tunnington (occ painter)
Birth Year: abt 1865
Age: 28
Marriage or Bann Date: 8 Apr 1893
Parish: Buslingthorpe, St Michael
Father's Name: John Henry Tunnington (occ labourer)
Spouse's Name: Frances Pinder
Spouse's Father's Name: Robert Pinder (occ labourer)
The above is from parish records, this is the marriage reg:
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915
Name: William Henry T Tunnington
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1893
Registration District: Leeds
Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume Number: 9b
Page Number: 610
Records on Page:
Spouse's Name : Frances Pinder
Did he have a brother ?
West Yorkshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
Name: Mary Elizabeth Foster
Birth Year: abt 1868
Age: 22
Marriage or Bann Date: 24 May 1890
Parish: Leeds, St John
Father's Name: Robert Foster
Spouse's Name: Thomas Richard Taylor Tunnington
Spouse's Father's Name: John Henry Taylor Tunnington ** Has the Taylor in this entry.
Frances Pinder was WHTT's only wife. born 1870 died 1966. By 1900 she had had enough of William and sent him "Walkabout." They never divorced. William died c.1925. I have no details of his life but he was regarded as a disgrace to the family. The Pinders were originally farm folk in Yorkshire but the Industrial Revolution made them take up work in the region of York city (Railways?).
The name "Tunnington" is common in the vicinity of Birmingham, as is "Taylor". My brick wall is the puzzle of John Taylor's claim to be British citizen born in Canada, and his reason for name change. There must have been some event which caused this, but he did not create a new identity or remarry.
William Henry Tunnington
United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records, 1760-1913
From service records William Henry Tunnington served with the 3bn West Yorkshire reg. from 1883 to 1895. Service 3rd Nov 1883 to discharge 7th Nov 1895. He served in the East Indies from 24 Dec 1884 until 22 Apr 1891. Next of kin listed as father John Henry, mother Sarah, brother Thomas, cannot read street name town Leeds.
This might be the reason why he never settled down after leaving the service.
This is new info! His eldest son Harry also served in the West Yorks regt in WW1.
1861. JHTaylor married Sarah Glover.Both living in Primrose St.Father was Wm.Taylor.
(sailmaker). 1864 WHTT born. 1871 John H.Taylorliving at 25 Mushroom St
1881 John H Taylor Tunnington lived in Back Nile St.
1890 John H T T recorded as ironworker.
1893,April, WHTT married Frances Pinder at St Michaels church.they lived at 24 Moseley St. WHTT must have been still in army.
Harry born 12/12/1993.(My father's brother.)
1911 census shows Francis as head of family.
1901 England Census
Name: Frances Tunnington
[Frances Pinder]
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871
Relation: Head
Father's Name: Robert Pinder
Mother's Name: Hannah Pinder
Gender: Female
Where born: South Milford, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Potter Newton
Ecclesiastical parish: St Aidan
Town: Leeds
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England
Frances Tunnington 30
Barry Tunnington 7
Annie Tunnington 5
Joe Tunnington 3
Nellie Tunnington 10 Months (William Henry Tunnington must still have been around in 1890
Robert Pinder 61 Parents
Hannah Pinder 62
1911 England Census
Name: Frances Tunnington
Age in 1911: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Female
Birth Place: South Milford, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Leeds
County/Island: Yorkshire-West Riding
Country: England
Street Address: 5 Edgware Mount Bayswater Rd Roundhay Rd Leeds
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Charwoman
Registration District: Leeds
Frances Tunnington 40
Robert Pender 71 Father
Harry Tunnington 17
Annie Tunnington 15
Joe Tunnington 13
Nellie Tunnington 10
Frances Tunnington (Pinder) lived at 5 Edgware Mount until her death. I often visited her there until I emigrated in 1957.
Primrose St.,Mushroom St,Back Nile St. and Moseley St. no longer exist due to "Urban Renewal"
WHTT's service in the East Indies probably indicates India, but could have been any of the countries to the east which were Red on the world maps in those days.
I also served in that area in the Royal Air Force. Life was sometimes very "fragile " and sickness rife. This may account for WHTT's failures.
It would be interesting to see his army records for this information.