Elizabeth Smith/Schmidt?

[danile]

Hello everyone,

As most can probably tell by now I am not very good at my English genealogy, I have another query

So before Ancestry DNA updated their ethnicity results in about September 2020, my DNA was 4% German, and my uncle's DNA was 6% German. After the update, my German was replaced with French, and his German remained. I understand that sometimes doing genealogy solely referencing ethnicity won't be very accurate, but I wonder if my family actually is German based on a baptism I've found:

The ancestor in particular I'm researching was named Elizabeth Smith. She was married to George Birkett in 1852, Heaton Norris Lancashire. Her marriage Bann gives her father's name as Joseph Smith, a labourer. She and George had several children - Maryann, Samuel, Ellen, John, Joseph, Amelia, and Thomas. I cannot find Elizabeth Smith in any 1851 or 1841 census, and I found a possible baptism in 1823 Elizabeth Smith daughter of Joseph and Mary Horer, but I think it could be with an umlaut on the O. It makes me think whether or not Elizabeth's parents were immigrants from Germany, her father's surname being Schmidt. Of course, I could be getting ahead of myself and it could be that this side of the family isn't German, but regardless I would love to settle this. If anyone would be so kind as to help me find Elizabeth in a census before she got married, or any other kind of direction, I would be so grateful!

- Danile

[christanel]

Some information for others wishing to help
Elizabeth Smith
Age 29
Birth Date - 1823
Marriage Date - 31 May 1852
Marriage Place: St. Thomas, Heaton-Norris, Lancashire, England
Father Joseph Smith
Spouse - George Birkett
FHL Film Number - 2113093

1861 RG9 Piece 2565 Folio 56 Page 17
26 Queen Street Stockport
George Birkett 39 Provisional dealer
Elizabeth Birkett 38
Mary Ann Birkett 7
Samuel Birkett 5
Ellin Birkett 3
John Birkett 1
Ann Hosford 16

All born Stockport

The original parish register in the Manchester, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1930 gives her father as Joseph Smith Labourer and George's father as Joseph Birkett, Hatter
Witnesses - John Birkett and Mary Ann Renshaw

Christina

[christanel]

I see the original image for the Elizabeth Smith's baptism you found has her mother as Mary Horer, Spinster, and Joseph Smith as her putative father in brackets above his name. He residing at Hyde, occupation calico printer. I can't make out her residence - ?? within Marple.

There is an Eliza Smith in the 1851 census, a servant with the Marshall family, in Stockport, age 29 born c1822 which would fit your Elizabeth's profile.
RG10 Piece 2157 Folio 396 page 4

In 1841 HO107 piece 89 book 1 folio 11 page 16 there is an Elizabeth Smith 18, in the civic parish of Aldford

Christina

[danile]

Hello Christina, thankyou for the posts! I hadn't been able to view the photo of the baptism, so I didn't previously know that Joseph was a putative father. I assume that would mean he and Mary Horer were not married either. But of course I only need to know that if these are my ancestors. I did more research today and I accidentally found a baptism for a Mary Horer 1799 close to Marple but in Derbyshire while searching for Elizabeth. I took a look at the 1851 Marshall family, and that Eliza Smith's birthplace is listed as Audlem, Cheshire sadly (a town close to Shropshire). There are a lot of possibilities - perhaps this is one of those times to accept that the ancestors are lost to time