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  • Who Do You Think You Are?

    Q&A

    Feb 08, 2022 8 minutes
    EDITED BY CLAIRE VAUGHAN

    KATHERINE COBB is a member of AGRA based in Somerset

    EMMA JOLLY is a genealogist based in Edinburgh and a member of AGRA

    ANTONY MARR is a former deputy registrar and the chair of AGRA

    JAYNE SHRIMPTON is a professional dress historian and portrait specialist

    PHIL TOMASELLI is a military family history expert, and wrote Tracing Your Air Force Ancestors

    PETER TOWEY is vice-president of the Anglo-German Family History Society

    SIMON WILLS is the author of Tracing Your Seafaring Ancestors

    Did George Hardstaff change his name?

    Q My husband’s great great grandparents were George Hardstaff and Maria Merchant. According to censuses, George was born in Hulland Ward, Derbyshire, in 1812 and Maria in Ible, Derbyshire, in 1814. I have a baptism record for a Lucy Maria Merchant born 13 August 1814 in Ible and her burial record as Maria Lucy Hardstaff, so I am pretty sure this is her. I have also discovered a marriage record for a Maria Merchant to George Fox on 25 September 1831 in Muggington, Derbyshire. Are George Fox and George Hardstaff the same man, and if so, why did he change his name?

    Margaret Bicknell

    Changes of surname occurred for many reasons. For example, a child known by their stepfather’s surname might revert to their actual name

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