Odd names

20th March 2015

Librarians are far from serious all the time. We have created a 'Priaulx Library book of funny names' for our non-serious moments.

Searching through parish registers can often reveal strange, bizarre, silly or plain mad names. Here are a few examples:

  • 'Mary Butcher, daughter of Thomas Butcher and of Katherine Carver his wife, born June 14th, 1724'
  • 'Marriage of John Norbert Casanova to Albertina D'Eberstein, November, 1855'
  • 'Burial of Tryphean Godfray Spong, July 25th, 1907'
  • Judith Squit, born 30 August, baptised 4 September 1803

And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

What a Carry On!

From the British Garrison Quartermaster's Account Book of 1796:

  • James Amond for subsisting Count de Silly ... when confined as a prisoner in Castle Cornet for misbehaviour, by order of the Commander in Chief

He should have stopped being so silly [ed.]... Actually, he was a member of a very illustrious aristocratic French family.

From the Gazette de L'Isle de Guernesey 9 July 1791: 'Missis Pidle fait savoir, qu'elle a deux appartemens, à louer, garnis ou non garnis, dans la maison de M. Bruzaud au havelet.' This was a member of the Peddle family.

'For sale, at Mrs Grumbling's, adjoining the meat market and Coles' hotel, a quantity of fancy split straw, open leghorns, a variety of plumes and feathers, flowers, fancy trimmings; also some plat straw, well suited to persons in that line of business &c.' [L'Indépendance, 10th August, 1822].

'To be sold, the house occupied by Mr Samuel Special, near Delancey-Hill, St Sampson's. Apply to John Ozanne, agent &c.' [Star, January 15th, 1828.]


If you would like to expand on this obviously vital piece of research, please send us your silly names, now! Your anonymity is guaranteed.