Fact Sheet 3
About Names
What’s in a name? Names are not always what they seem, particularly in Indigenous family history research. When tracing your family history it is worth bearing the following in mind:
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Indigenous people were often identified in older records by a given and/or traditional name only
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When Aboriginal people did take European names, their origins commonly include -
European translations of traditional names
The name of the property they worked on
The name of the property owner or other employer
- You may find unexpected variations in the spellings of names. Until very late in the 19th century, there were very few people who could read and write well, meaning that a person may not know that their name was being spelt incorrectly. Names were often spelt as they had sounded, leaving plenty of scope for errors. Some examples are listed below.
- The name that you know someone by may not be the name listed on official documentation. Quite often people used names during their life that were different to their birth name. For example, Vera Lillian at birth was known as Lillian throughout life. Mary Jane through life was Janet May at birth. People also often used shortened forms of their first names, for example:
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Allen = Al, Alen, Alan Ann = Hannah Barney = Herbert Beverly = Bevely, Bev Bill = William Catherine = Cathy, Kate, Kay Cecil = Cec Charlotte = Lottie Christene = Christeen, Christ, Crissy, Chrissy, Christie Desree = Des Dianne = Diane, Dianna, Diana, Di Doreen = Dor Dorothy = Dolly, Dot, Dorrie Edward = Edie, Eddie Elizabeth = Betty, Bess, Beth, Liz, Lizzie, Eliza, Tibby, Libby Ellen = Nell, Nellie Ernest = Ernist, Ern, Ernie, Erny Florence = Florrie, Florry, Flo Frances = Fanny, Fanno, Fran Francis = Frank Frederick = Fred, Freddy Helen= Nell Jack = John James = Jim, Jimmy, Jimmie |
Jeffery = Jeff, Geofrey, Geoff Jessie = Jessica Jessy, Jes Joseph = Joe, Jo, Joey Joyce = Joy Judith = Judy Kathleen = Kathline, Kath Lesley = Leslie, Les Lynette = Lyn Margaret = Maggie, Meg, Peg, Molly, Daisy Marjorie = Marjory, Marj Mary = Maisie Matilda = Tilly, Mattie, Matie, Tilda Michael = Mick Nancy = Agnes Nevil = Nevel, Nev Patricia = Pat, Patty, Trish Patrick = Pat, Paddy Reginald = Reginal, Reg, Reggie Robert = Rob, Bob, Bobby Ronald = Ron, Ronnie, Ronny Stanley = Stan Steven = Stephen, Steve Valerie = Valery, Val |
Family names
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Hurley/Early Anderson/ Henderson Holden/Olden |
Hawkins/Orkins Henry/Enemy |
If you know of any others variations in first or family names we would be pleased to add them to the list.
Updated: January 2008