Looking Backwards: An Onion by Any Other Name

I have a ‘thing’ about names. To me some names just ‘go’ or ‘sing’. They make sense, they have a ‘ring’ to them, or they ‘work’. Other times they most certainly don’t. At best they might be clunky or difficult to pronounce, as if the words fall over each other or end up ignoring each other at opposite ends of a signature. Some names are just bad. I’ve heard of babies being named and my first thought was “You should really teach that kid to fight as soon as possible because they are SO going to be picked on in school’. The last time I thought this was when someone named their new baby boy ‘Huckleberry’. They probably thought this was a pretty cool name, a heroes name, and that his school friends would naturally shorten it to the even cooler name of ‘Huck’ but, kids being kids, I’m guessing he’ll go through his school life being called various kinds of ‘Berry’. I feel sorry for him already. But anyway, back to my ancestors (where I should be) and, of course, Onions.

One of the first names that jumped out at me during the delve into my past was Emma Onions (1857-1909) who was the wife of an early favourite named relation Simeon Doughty (1854-1916) who’s name does ‘go’ in my opinion. However, following Emma’s line backwards in time we eventually get to Paul Onions (1708-1786) who was my 7^th great-grandfather. As mentioned in a previous comment he married Sarah Cheese (1711-1797). I did wonder if this caused any amusement at the time with comments about it being less of a marriage and more of a ploughman’s lunch. But I digress…. With 722 ancestors at least minimally ‘discovered’ so far there’s bound to be a handful of what I consider to be great names and here’s a few of them I have a weird fondness for…

Mary Vanstan (1717-1789)

Mary Barfoot (1624-1708) and her mother Elizabeth Madgwick (1598-????)

Bridget Maloney (1856-1913) which is a CLASSIC Irish name – LOVE it!

John Harper Lockier (1637-1668)

Maudlyn Beffield (1612-1684)

Joyce Wynstons Whiston (1597-????)

Prudence Evans (1664-1742) as I do so love the name Prudence!

Elizabeth Felicia Elwell (1682-1737)

Cassandra Nevison (1682-????)

Mary Gilson Pomfrett (1630-1653)

Sampson Cotton (1584-1635)

Benjamin Gibbons (1595-1664)

Martha Smout (1648-1741)

Prudence Torr (1665-1720) and another Prudence!

Silvester Grubb (1783-1858) and like something out of a Dickens novel!

Susannah Sukie Newell (1741-1768) and I must find out where ‘Sukie’ came from!

Jane Harriet Staunton Stanton (1537-1640) and I think I’m going to have to confirm her 103 years!

Bartholomew Pee (1674-1759) and lastly my all-time favourite ancestor name yet

Druscilla Husslebury (1820-1900) the wife of my 4^th great-granduncle Enoch Onions (1823-????) and another possible Dickens character. I can just imagine her, always late for an appointment, always moving at top speed complaining that there’s not enough hours in the day……

Obviously I’m still digging and still, slowly, scraping away at centuries of detritus surrounding my ever expanding family history. I’ve essentially stopped going as far back as I could and am now investigating sideways and along family names – like the Onions clan! – for a bit more meat on the (so far) bare bones. It’s amazing what I’ve discovered in less than 3 months. No doubt there will be MUCH more to come.