Dinevor = Dena = Sarah ???

[Allan F Sparrow]

I was born in Wales, but I'm not Welsh enough to deal with this one.

In 1871, Thomas and Mary Lewis of Vaynor (Faenor), Breconshire (just north of Merthyr Tydfil), listed a daughter Dinevor aged 9, born in Vaynor.
In 1881 the same couple, at East Road, Ystradyfodwg (in Tylorstown, actually), listed a daughter Dena aged 19, born in Vaynor.

So far, so good, perhaps.

In 1891, this couple's son Mathias, at Llewellyn Street, Pontygwaith, listed Sarah Lewis, aged 29, born at Pontsticill (just up the road from Vaynor), without naming her relationship to him: the relevant column is a blank. The age and birth-place make it tempting to see her as Mathias's sister – but was she?

I have not been able to find a birth-registration for Dinevor/Dena, and Sarah is much too frequent a name to be easily sorted out.

Anybody know if Dinevor/Dena and Sarah can be seen as equivalents, like Evan and John?

[margarita]

I know that both Ancestry and FMY have transcribed this name as Sarah but I am not so sure. The first letter does not like like other S's on the page e.g S for Single. The name does not look like the Sarah second from bottom on the same page.

This is all assuming that I am looking at the correct image.

Maybe someone else could suggest a transcription.

Maggie

[Sue Mackay]

I know that both Ancestry and FMY have transcribed this name as Sarah but I am not so sure. The first letter does not like like other S's on the page e.g S for Single. The name does not look like the Sarah second from bottom on the same page.

This is all assuming that I am looking at the correct image.

Maybe someone else could suggest a transcription.

Maggie

I agree with you Maggie.

The reference is RG12; Piece: 4428; Folio: 138; Page: 48

It may be wishful thinking on my part, but could it be Dinah?

[margarita]

It may be wishful thinking on my part, but could it be Dinah?

Well, I was thinking along the lines of something beginning with D.

Maggie

[Megan Roberts]

I have had a look at birth registrations for D Lewis 1861-1863 in and around Merthyr Tydfil (which is of course Glamorganshire). It's not such a nightmare as one might think.

Most D are David. So eliminate the males and what are we left with:

1863 Merthyr Tydfil Delilah
1863 Merthyr Tydfil Dinah

[helachau]

On the 1881 Census both Mathias and Dena have Vaynor as PoB. In '91 Mathias and Sarah/Denah both have Pontsticill.
Sarah/Denah's first letter has been written with quite a flourish - quite unlike the "Sarah" picked out by Maggie at the foot of the page.

On the previous page to Sarah/Denah's entry, at Schedule entry No 260 is a David Williams. The "D" here looks very much like the 1st character in Sarah/Denah's name, sitting almost above the 2nd letter.

[Allan F Sparrow]

Hi everyone! I never thought to get so many replies, and I'm sure you're pointing in the right direction, now that I've had another look at the census image. It really does look like Dinah, so I'll follow that line up. Thanks a lot!

[Allan F Sparrow]

Follow-up:
Both Ancestry and FindMyPast have a Dinah Lewis born in 1861 Q4 at Merthyr Tydfil, and I think this is likely to be the one, as her age is consistently given in the censuses as 9, 19, 29...

They also have a Dina Lewis who married Francis Hughes in 1891 Q3 Pontypridd, after the 1891 census when she was with her brother Mathias. Dinah Hughes appears with her husband Francis and one daughter Phoebe in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, first at Abercynon and then at Aberfan. The 1911 census has a note that she was deaf from birth, which probably helps to explain why she married later than most did. A Dinah Hughes died in 1931 Q1 Pontypridd aged 69, which fits.

This may be my mother's family – I'm waiting for the marriage certificate of her grandfather to prove or disprove it – and there was another Dinah definitely in her family, her aunt Elizabeth Dinah born in 1881. Mathias, not a very common name, was also used more than once in her family...

Thanks again to the very helpful people who frequent this forum!