henry lopez jennings

[u751904]

On my partners side there is a henry lopez jennings 1867-1952 born kidderminster. No one in the family knew that he had lopez as a middle name until it came to register the death. It is obviously an unusual middle name to have. Does anyone have any idea as to why someone in worcestershire should have such a middlename. There are no obvious clues as to why he should be awarded such a middle name. I have been trying to find out other people in the district who have the name lopez but I can't match any. his mother was a maria ? born in islington in 1825. thanks Zoe

[Lottie]

Zoe

Located the family on the 1871 Census living in Wribbenhall

Henry listed as Lopez aged 5yrs -
Details as follows -

RG10/3036 Folio Page
Census District Bewdley Parish Wribbenhall

Sched: 31 Habberley Road
HUGHES Maria Head Wid 74 Independant Born Bishop's Castle /SAL
JENNINGS Maria Dau. M 44 Born London
Clara G/dau U 10 Scholar " "
Florence " " 7 " Born Erdistone? /WOR
Lopez G/Son " 5 " &sp; Clara G/dau U 10 Scholar " "
Florence " " 7 " Born Erdistone? /WOR
Lopez G/Son " 5 " Born Wribbenhall/WOR
Charlotte G/dau " 2 " Born Kidderminster.



in 1881 the Family is listed as -

Dwelling: Habberley Road
Census Place: Kidderminster Foreign, Worcester, England
Source: FHL Film 1341696 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2903 Folio 78 Page 15
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Maria JENNINGS W 50 F London Islington, London, Middlesex, England
Rel: Mother (Head)
Clara JENNINGS U 19 F London Marylebone, London, Middlesex, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Dressmaker
Florence JENNINGS U 16 F Eardiston Ov Tenbury, Worcester, England</P>Rel: Daur
Henry JENNINGS U 14 M Wribbenhall Nr Kidderminster, Worcester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Pattern Designer
Charlotte JENNINGS U 12 F Blakebrook Nr Kidderminster, Worcester, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Alfred BUTLER 6 M Habberley Rd Nr Kidderminster, Worcester, England
Rel: Adopted Son
Occ: Scholar
May DOVEY 2 F Habberley Rd, Worcester, England
Nurse Child.

I was not able to locate them in 1861 Census - and possibly find Henry's Father's name.

As to why his parent's named him Lopez , the reasons are many and varied , the most likely being , that they liked the name. It is certainly not one found frequently in the Midlands. If in honour of a friend more likely to have been someone in London, where they were living when Clara was born in c 1860.

hth

Lottie
New Zealand

[u751904]

thanks Lottie, thanks for the summary. I think you are right it is likely that the name is a friend of the family probably from london as that is more likely to have had hispanic sounding names in the area. I thought perhaps the name could have been for example in honour of the midwife. There is a distinct lack of male heads of household in quite a few of these census. One reason is that we believe they were 'travelling chemists' thanks Zoe