Fanny

[Val Goddard]

What would you say Fanny was short for?

Val

[Shelagh]

I have a Frances in my research whose name is shortened to Fanny.

[mary elms]

In my husband's family Fanny was used as a name in its own right and appears on birth certificates etc.

Mary.

[AnnB]

I have a Lilian Annie who known as Fanny, a Frances sometimes known as Fanny and someone who was christened Fanny and stuck with it :cool:

Best wishes
Ann

[Val Goddard]

Thanks everyone. I have a Fanny Thompson who is referred to as Fanny on her marriage certificate and in all censuses 1861 to 1901. Her father was Thomas Thompson and in the 1841 census there is a Thomas Thompson with a daughter Frances of the right age and I was wondering if I could assume it was the right family. I have since found a BMD entry for a Frances Thompson in Radford and as censuses say birth was at lenton, this seems it might be the right one. Always that difficult point where you are pretty certain it's the right one, but not quite sure!

Val

[Mythology]

And, just to confuse the issue further .......

While trawling Marylebone burials in the 1830s yesterday, I noticed one for a young lady whose forenames were given as "Frances Fanny".

:)

Edit:
And, of course, if anyone wants to start the old Mary/Maria debate and thinks that there are any "rules", I would just mention that I have a girl in my Waller family who, when her father made his will, he refers to as "Maria Ann" but was buried two years later, when father was still alive, as "Mary Ann Maria".
I wonder what her baptism record says - haven't looked that one up yet! :D