Change of surname

[gasser]

Hi,
Here is just one of my brickwalls -
I have traced my husband's family as far back as 1779 with the baptism of his
4xgrandfather Daniel, son of William MOREWOOD and Martha 20th August 1779at Monyash, Derbyshire -
Daniel married with the name CRITCHLOW in December,1803 and some of his children (17 in all !) were baptised with the Morewood surname, others with the name Critchlow, and to cap it all, two children (twins) were baptised with the name Walker !
As far as I know he only married the once to Mary Cundy from Longnor, Staffordshire, although there is a marriage to a Mary unknown, in about 1822 according to the IGI but with no further details.
Details of Daniel's parents are proving to be very difficult to find - would love to know the date of their marriage (if one took place!) and their parentage if possible and why the change of surnames - Some of Daniel's children used the MOREWOOD surname then changed it to CRITCHLOW
Here's hoping sks might be able to help.
cheers for now.

[MythicalMarian]

Gasser, is there a pattern with the baptisms of the children? Do they start out as Critchlows and then become Morewoods?

Believe it or not, I have exactly the same circumstance as this in my own tree where a man was born with one surname (illegitimate, but probably natural son of the man his Mum later married) a name he married under and had his first children under. Then, bang - the surname changed, and subsequent kids were baptised with the new name and he himself was buried with his new name. However, his son reverted back to the old one! They're all in the same grave together, thank goodness.

However, in your case, I am perplexed by the Walker twins. Could you post us the order of children and baptism dates so that we can try and piece things together for you?

[MythicalMarian]

Ah - Finbar has beat me to what I was going to suggest next. When you see entries such as Jane Clark daughter of Enoch and Ann Williams that can throw you! In this case, the child's name would be Jane Clark Williams, with Clark used as a middle name. That could have been happening here too.

Well spotted Fin

[gasser]

Many thanks for your quick replies.
There has not been a pattern in regards to the children's baptisms, unless I have overlooked something - which knowing me is quite possible!!
In the county batch number C048742 Daniels first five children are listed under name MOREWOOD + variants (no Critchlow surname mentioned for them)
Martha 1804, John 1806, William 1808, Hannah 1810 and Leah 1812.
In batch number C048741- Subsequent children are under name Morewood + variants (again no Critchlow surname for them here either)
George 1814, James 1815, Mary 1817, Septimus 1820, Charles 1822,
Harriot #1 1824, Mark 1826, Harriet#2 1827, and Matthew 1829.
Twins Abraham and Isaac 1818 are under the name Walker. [I have a copy of their baptism transcript which informs their parents were Daniel Walker (cordwainer) and Mary - Daniel Critchlow/Morewood was a cordwainer at Monyash] 1841 census tells me there was another daughter Maria born around 1826 but have not found her baptism. Submitted entries to the IGI will find these children under both names CRITCHLOW / MOREWOOD including variants.
I had seen the submitted entry on IGI about William Moorwood Critchlow birth 20th August 1740 , but somehow can't quite accept that as yet - it has only been submitted on IGI in the last 18 months or so. To be honest, that is the only "Moorwood Critchlow" record I have seen apart from later generations of this blessed family !!
Does anyone have access to the Monyash Parish Records disc that is available to buy online? I'm wondering if that might help. I have contact with other Critchlow family researchers and to date none of us have come up with an answer. One of these had talked with the churchwarden at the place concerned who insisted they were 2 different families - hard to believe with the same children's names !!
Oh well...... thanks for your time in reading this missive. No doubt the mystery will remain with Daniel ...and he's keeping quiet!!

[pwholt]

I note you have the baptism of Mark in 1826 and are seeking one for Maria the same sort of date, as per 1841 census. Any chance the enumerator cofused the two when he wrote up his notes?
Some families appear in parish registers with aliases which persist for years,and even centuries, and one has to check for both names to be sure you get them all. PW

[gasser]

Thanks for that point PW.
You made me double check my notes and I can confirm that Mark and Maria are two seperate people.
Maria was at home with parents Daniel and Mary in 1841 whilst Mark was working as a male servant in 1841 census. I have no idea who he was working for as the head of the household would have been listed on the previous page - Mark was found on a following page - HO 107/183/18. Is anyone able to check the previous page?
cheers

[Wirral]

Does anyone have access to the Monyash Parish Records disc that is available to buy online? I'm wondering if that might help.

Rather than asking someone else to do a free lookup for you, why not buy a copy of the cd yourself? It only costs £10, not much more than a single certificate. Considering the vast amount of time & effort it must have taken the author to compile the cd, it is only fair that they should benefit.

[John Gourlay]

Dear Gasser
I have a similar situation, some fact, some assumption. For years I looked for my great grandfather, George Smith and there he was in 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1881 English censuses. It turned out that he was born to an unmarried Jane Woodcock and used the name Woodcock on his own marriage certificate and that of of his daughters birth. The assumption is that Jane later married a William Smith and that's the name he grew up with, using his birth name only on official documents. Happy hunting.
John Gourlay

[Raffaele]

I have been doing some IGI look ups trying to fully understand your predicamant here.

In the county batch number C048742 Daniels first five children are listed under name MOREWOOD + variants (no Critchlow surname mentioned for them)
Martha 1804, John 1806, William 1808, Hannah 1810 and Leah 1812.
In batch number C048741- Subsequent children are under name Morewood + variants (again no Critchlow surname for them here either)
George 1814, James 1815, Mary 1817, Septimus 1820, Charles 1822,
Harriot #1 1824, Mark 1826, Harriet#2 1827, and Matthew 1829.

As with my research the record seems clean. Morewood-Moorwood etc. Not a sign of Critchlow and all are extracted records. Where are the Critchlow
children you mention

Twins Abraham and Isaac 1818 are under the name Walker. [I have a copy of their baptism transcript which informs their parents were Daniel Walker (cordwainer) and Mary

Just being a shoemaker and having a wife Mary does not transfer parentage. Batch M049941 has a marriage between Daniel Walker and a Mary. If you have found these children with Daniel Morewood's family at a census then it is possible the Walker's and Morewood's were related in some way.

I did find the Moorwood/Critchlow record of Daniel's 'Father'. It is an LDS submitted record and whilst there may be a a Critchlow link in the family there is no proof of it here.

The marriage is indeed reported as Daniel Critchlow to Mary Cundy. Do you have proof that Mary was the mother of the Moorwood children.

If there are Critchlow baptized children what are the dates. Minimum of one year between but for most normally at least 18 months to 2 years. If it is not physically possible then the Critchlows are another family and 17 kids from one mother is very good going even for the turn of 1800.

There may well have been some family reverence for a forebear named Critchlow and family members may have enjoyed using it.

All I am advocating is questioning the validity of the data as with the Walkers. If you can get back further links might be revealed.

[gasser]

Many thanks for your comments Raffaele which I have taken on board.
I shall need to inwardly digest them fully in order that I might reply in depth. You certainly have given me food for thought.
Will get back as soon as I can.
I shall invest in the cd mentioned in the earlier posts - thanks to everyone who has contributed thus far.