Image created Julie Goucher 2020 using wordclouds.com

This week I have chosen to not focus on a specific surname, but something that happens with surnames; the use of an alias.

I talked about what I worked during lock-down, you can read that post HERE. During my work with the material from the catalogue of West Sussex Records Office, I came across several instances of members of the Butcher family using an alias, in the first instance with the surname of Cowper and a separate Butcher family with the surname Piper, as these were all in Rudgwick, it is likely that not only do these families connect, but they connect to my own family.  I was of course curious about that, but something else happened.

In undertaking some much needed filing, I came across some notes that I had made years ago, involving the surname Chitty. Now, that surname is well known across Surrey and Sussex and the surname already has a connection to my Budd family, but this documentation relates to an Ann Chitty who left a will in 1745 where she mentions various elements of my Butcher family. Then I came across another series of notes relating to a Chitty family, alias Bucher. (note the missing of the T from Butcher).

Initially I thought this was the case of inter-marrying etc, but with an occupational surname, perhaps this John Chitty was referred to as alias Bucher because he quite literally was a Butcher? And if that was the case then did that have any bearing on the Cowper and Piper alias’? This needs much more research and unravelling.

The next instalment of #AYearInSurnames will be posted sometime next weekend. If you would like to take part, you can read the introductory post HERE, but essentially,each Saturday (UK time), a blog post that fits with the theme for the week should be written and posted to your own site during the forthcoming week. Do not forget to leave the link for your post in the comments on this site.

For those who like to plan ahead, I have released the blog themes for the entire year and these can be downloaded from HERE

#AYearInSurnames