Family History

 ‘What is the fire in our belly but the eternal flame of a thousand ancestors’ Robert Brault

My first real family trees, compiled by the magic age of seven, were inspired by the four generation pedigree in my Baby Book and the rough, handwritten, minimal trees, compiled on two single sheets of paper by my parents and then pinned together with a rusty pin – these I still have. For someone who has no siblings, no first cousins and second cousins on only one of the four possible sides of the family, family history had an immediate appeal. I knew no one, apart from my own, very small, immediate family, with my surname, which made me eager to learn more. There were also the family rumours. My father’s family, the Braunds, were descended from pirates, washed ashore during the wreck of a Spanish Armada ship – despite this being reported in The Evening Standard – definitely not true. My mother was a Smith, her grandfather, or possibly great-grandfather was reputed to have been offered a half share in Smith’s Crisps for £50 and turned it down saying  ‘it wouldn’t catch on’ – possibly true this one. There is certainly a connection with the founder of Smith’s Crisps.

I am fortunate to have a wonderful album of photographs for my mother’s family and I revelled in sorting through these with my mother and great aunt, who became a surrogate grandmother after the death of my own grandmother. Together we put together a family tree, using these photographs, which we mounted on the back of large pieces of cardboard that advertised dog food on the reverse. It should, of course, have been Pedigree Chum but in fact, it was Winalot! From then on I was hooked and I began serious research when I left college in 1977, inspired by the 1979 Gordon Honeycombe series that was the first televised promotion of family history.

For me, it has always been about the stories rather than the pedigree; setting my ancestors in their local and national historical context is the priority. 46 years down the line, the enthusiasm remains and in various ways, I help other people to discover their roots and I occasionally research on behalf of others, as well as investigating my children’s and grandchildren’s ancestors.

I am very slowly linking factual narratives to the names listed below. Please do not expect these to be beautifully written, enthralling family histories. They are working documents, designed to preserve the information that I have gathered, together with details of the sources I have used. In some cases, I have tried to add some contextual information where I can. If these are useful to you, please do get in touch so that we can exchange information. If you have arrived on this page because we are a DNA match and you are looking for names or places that you recognise, you can ignore all those names marked *, as these are my children’s ancestors but not my own.

Contact historyinterpreter@hotmail.co.uk  I always reply to e.mails but am aware that some do get lost in the ether. If you do not receive a response within 48 hours please try again.

Surnames Researched

ADDAMS St. Mellion & St. Germans, Cornwall 1650-1700 see OUGH

ARCHER Stanford Rivers, Essex 1725-1850 see BOWYER

* BALLARD Verham Dean, Hampshire 1800-1875 and Devizes, Wiltshire 1775-1825 see KENT

BAKER Ditchling, Sussex 1725-1850 see VINAL

BARKER Sandon & Great Baddow, Essex 1725-1850 see DAWSON

* BARNES Castlemorton, Worcestershire 1725-1800

*  BARRETT/BERRETT Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire 1725-1850 see FEW

BARTLETT Lezant, Cornwall 1650-1725

* BAYLIS Kempsey, Worcestershire 1775-1850

* BEAN/BAIN Whitby and Egton, Yorkshire 1625-1725 see MEAD

* BEDWARD Hanley Castle, Worcestershire 1775-1900

BELL Great Kimble, Buckinghamshire 1675-1775

BENNET Stoke Climsland, Cornwall 1725-1800

* B(E)URGAUD Poitou, France 1650-1700

BISHOP Buckland Monochorum, Devon 1675-1775 and Bere Ferrers, Devon 1750-1900

BOUND Callington, Cornwall 1700-1800 and St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall 1750-1800

BOWDEN Mary Tavy, Devon 1575-1650 see ELFORD

BOWDEN Bere Ferrers, Devon 1650-1750 see BISHOP

BOWMAN Sampford Spinney, Devon 1625-1700 see BISHOP

BOWYER Bobbingworth & Epping & Writtle, Essex 1750-1900

BRAUND Northlew/Tavistock, Devon 1650-1775 Menheniot/Quethiock, Cornwall 1700-1800 Landulph, Cornwall 1800-1900. For the past 45 years I have been conducting a One-Name Study of the Braund family; researching not only my own Braund ancestors but all those who have borne the name. I am now the honorary historian for The Braund Society. A blog post that relates to my Braund ancestors can be found here. I have also written about my Braund ancestors under the title ‘So Soon Passeth it Away’, which was one of the prize winners in a competition run by The Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies. This has been published in four volumes by The Braund Society. The individual titles are: Cornish Origins, Across the Tamar, Cargreen Odyssey and In the Shadow of the Iron Horse. Details can be found here.

BUCKINGHAM Lewannick & North Hill, Cornwall 1700-1875

BULLEY Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 1700-1825

* BURGESS Chieveley, Berkshire 1700-1750 and Shalbourne, Wiltshire 1750-1800 see FEW

BURN Buckland Monochorum, Devon 1725-1825 see BISHOP

CARDELL Highgate & Hornsey, Middlesex 1775-1875 see WOOLGAR

CHILTON Waddesdon 1700-1800 and Great & Little Kimble, Buckinghamshire 1800-1875

* CHRISTIE Rayne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 1750-1850 see GILCHRIST

CLIFT Landulph, Cornwall 1750-1850

COATES Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 1700-1800 see BULLEY

* COHU Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1650-1750

COOPER Writtle, Essex 1725-1775 see OLIVER

* COURT St. Briavels & Newland & Bristol, Glouscestershire 1600-1850

COWL Sydenham Damerel, Devon 1700-1725 and Stoke Climsland, Cornwall 1725-1775

* CRISPIN Churchstow, Devon 1775-1850 see PEPPERELL

CROW Manuden, Essex 1525-1600

CUDLIPE Mary Tavy, Devon 1550-1625 see ELFORD

DAINES Norwich, Norfolk 1725-1825 and Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 1675-1750 see BULLEY

DAV(E)Y Lewannick, Cornwall 1700-1775

DAWSON Great Baddow, Essex 1750-1900

DEACON Landulph, Cornwall 1725-1875 and Stoke Climsland, Cornwall 1650-1775

* DENHAM Botley, Hampshire 1725-1800

DERRY St. Cleer, Cornwall 1625-1725 see OUGH

DILLING North Hill & South Petherwin, Cornwall 1700-1850

DINGLE St. Mellion, Cornwall 1675-1750 see OUGH

DODD Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire 1725-1800

* DOLBEL Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1650-1700

* DOMAILLE Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1650-1700

EADINGTON Alnwick, Bamburgh and Norham, Northumberland 1725-1825

EDLIE Lezant, Cornwall 1575-1650

ELFORD Mary Tavy, Devon 1550-1725

ELSON aka NORTON Writtle, Essex 1625-1725 see OLIVER

* EMERY South Stoneham, Hampshire 1725-1775

* FARR Tidcombe, Wiltshire 1725-1775 see FEW

FENDER Embleton, Northumberland 1725-1800

* FEW Great Bedwyn & Tidcombe, Wiltshire 1750-1850

* FISHER Newland, Gloucestershire 1750-1825 see MUDWAY

FITCH Writtle, Essex 1725-1825 see OLIVER

FLEET Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire 1750-1850

* FRANK Danby & Roxby & Whitby, Yorkshire 1775-1900

GALE Ditchling, Sussex 1700-1775

* GALLIENNE St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1750-1850

* Le GALLEZ St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1750-1800

GEACH St. Mellion & St. Dominick, Cornwall 1650-1750 see OUGH

* GILBERT Burbage, Great Bedwyn and Froxfield, Wiltshire 1725-1850 see FEW

* GILCHRIST Rayne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 1750-1850

GODFREY Milton, Berkshire 1725-1775

* GRACE Hound/Titchfield, Hampshire 1750-1850

* GRANT Diptford, Devon 1750-1850

GRAVENEY Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire 1700-1800

* HANNAFORD Halwell, Devon 1750-1850

* HAPGOOD Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire 1725-1775 see FEW

* HARPER St. Briavels, Gloucestershire 1725-1825 and Whitechapel, Middlesex 1725-1775 see MILSON

HAWKINS East Hanningfield, Essex 1600-1700

* HEAD North Huish, Devon 1750-1900 and Ugborough, Devon 1800-1875

* HILL Kempsey, Worcestershire 1750-1850

HILL St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall 1700-1800

* HINGSTONE Halwell, Devon 1750-1850

HITCHINS Bere Ferrers, Devon 1775-1850 see BISHOP

HOGG Morpeth, Northumberland 1825-1900, Thockrington, Northumberland 1775-1850

* HOLDER Stroud & Newland, Gloucestershire 1650-1725

HOWE Stone & Great Kimble, Buckinghamshire 1800-1900

* JAMES see KEAR Newland, Gloucestershire 1725-1775

* JAMONNEAU Poitou, France 1650-1700

* JAMOUNEAU St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1700-1800

JEFFERY Quethiock, Cornwall 1775-1850

JENKIN St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall 1700-1825 see OUGH

* de JERSEY Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1650-1725

JOHNS Bere Ferrers, Devon 1675-1825 see BISHOP

* JOHNSTON Rayne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 1775-1875 see GILCHRIST

* KEAR St. Briavels, Gloucestershire 1725-1875

* KEMBER Hampstead Norris, Berkshire 1700-1750

KENNER North Hill, Cornwall 1700-1800 and St. Petherwin, Cornwall 1625-1750

* KENT Vernham Dean, Hampshire 1775-1875

KINGHAM Monks Risborough and Horesenden, Buckinghamshire 1675-1775; Great Kinmble, Buckinghamshire 1725-1825 and Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire 1800-1850

KINSMAN Buckland Monochorum, Devon 1750-1825 see BISHOP

LAMBALL Bampton, Oxfordshire 1775-1850 see SEEAR

LAMBON Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire 1700-1775

LANG St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall 1700-1775

LAUNDRY St. Mellion, Cornwall 1750-1850 see BISHOP

* Le CORNU Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1650-1725

* Le POITEVON Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1650-1700

LITTLEJOHNS St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall 1750-1825

LOW Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 1675-1750 see BULLEY

* LOVIS Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1600-1700

LUCAS Landulph, Cornwall 1575-1650 see SAMBELL

LUCAS Menheniot, Cornwall 1700-1800

* MARQUI(S) Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1600-1800 and St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1750-1800

* MARSHALL Egton, Yorkshire 1600-1700 see MEAD

MATHER Norham, Northumberland 1750-1850 see EADINGTON

* MEAD Whitby, Yorkshire 1625-1875 Norwood, Surrey 1875-1900

MILDREN St. Mellion, Cornwall 1750-1825 see BISHOP

* MILSON Newland, Gloucestershire 1650-1750, St. Briavels, Gloucestershire 1675-1825 Rockfield, Monmouthshire 1775-1800

MONKE Manuden, Sheering and Roxwell, Essex 1525-1675

* MUDWAY St. Briavels, Gloucestershire 1700-1850

* NAISH Woodborough, Wiltshire 1750-1825 see KENT

NEWTON Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire 1700-1800

NICHOLLS/NICHOLAS St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall 1725-1875 see OUGH

NICHOLLS Sheepstor, Devon 1700-1775 see BISHOP

* NICHOLSON Diptford, Devon 1750-1850

* NOBLE Whitby, Yorkshire 1700-1775 see MEAD

* NORMAN Lythe and Whitby, Yorkshire 1775-1875

NORTON aka ELSON Writtle, Essex 1625-1725 see OLIVER

OAKES Roxwell, Essex 1675-1775

OLIVER Norton Mandeville & Writtle, Essex 1725-1875

OUGH St. Cleer & Callington, Cornwall 1650-1750 St. Germans & Landrake, Cornwall 1750-1850

PALMER Writtle, Essex 1725-1800 see OLIVER

PASCOE St. Stephens, Saltash, Cornwall 1700-1825 see OUGH

PEARSON Alnwick, Northumberland 1775-1825, Widdrington, Northumberland 1750-1825, Warkwarth, Northumberland 1800-1850 see HOGG

* PEARSON Egton, Yorkshire 1600-1675 see MEAD

* PEPPERELL Churchstow, Devon 1775-1850 Halwell, Devon 1800-1850 North Huish, Devon 1850-1900 and Norwood, Surrey 1850-1900

POOLY Menheniot, Cornwall 1700-1800

* PORRIT Lythe and Whitby, Yorkshire 1725-1850 see MEAD

* PREDDY Newland, Gloucestershire 1675-1775 see MUDWAY

PURDY Stokesby with Herringby & Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 1750-1875 see BULLEY

PUTTNAM Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire 1750-1825

READING Great Kimble, Buckinghamshire 1675-1800

* RENOUF St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1700-1875

* REYNOLDS Newland, Gloucestershire 1675-1750 see MUDWAY

RICHARDSON Stebbing & Great Baddow, Essex 1725-1800 see DAWSON

* RICHARDSON Tidcombe, Wiltshire 1725-1800 see FEW

RICKARD St. Germans, Cornwall 1725-1800 see OUGH

ROBERTS Botus Fleming & St. Stephen’s, Saltash, Cornwall 1650-1750, Landrake, Cornwall 1750-1850 see OUGH

ROLPH Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire 1775-1850

ROOSE/ROWSE/RUZE Lezant, Cornwall 1600-1750

* ROUSSELL Castel, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1600-1725

SAMBELL Bere Ferrers, Devon 1700-1800, Landulph, Cornwall 1575-1775

SEEAR St. Albans & Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire 1725-1875, Stoke Newington, Middlesex 1750-1900

SHEERS Menheniot, Cornwall 1750-1850

* SHIPWAY Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire 1700-1750 see FEW

SKELTON Landulph, Cornwall 1625-1675 see SAMBELL

SMAYLE Landulph, Cornwall 1650-1750 see SAMBELL

* SMETHMAN Egton, Yorkshire 1625-1725 see MEAD

SMITH Hammersmith & Hackney, Middlesex 1775-1900, Richmond on Thames, Surrey 1750-1850 and Ipswich, Suffolk 1820-1850

* SMITH Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire 1700-1800 see FEW

SMITH Ditchling, Sussex 1750-1825

SMITH Quethiock, Cornwall 1700-1775

SMITH Stokesby with Herringby, Norfolk 1725-1800 see BULLEY

SPEARE Lezant, Cornwall 1500-1650

SPILLER Mary Tavy, Devon 1650-1725 see ELFORD

* STANGOR Lythe, Yorkshire 1775-1850

STAPLE Halton, Buckinghamshire 1675-1775

STEER St Dominick, Cornwall 1600-1775

STRATFORD Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire 1700-1875

STROUT Landulph, Cornwall 1675-1775 see SAMBELL

* STRUGNELL Hound, Hampshire 1725-1775

SWEBY Halton, Buckinghamshire 1700-1800

* SWEETINGHAM Bursledon, Hamble, Hound & Titchfield, Hampshire 1700-1900

THORN South Hanningfield, Essex 1750-1850 see THOROGOOD

THORNE Plympton St. Maurice, Devon 1575-1625 see BISHOP

THOROGOOD South Hanningfield, Essex 1750-1875

* TRACHY St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands 1700-1800

TURNER Little Melton, Norfolk 1725-1775 see BULLEY

UDY Quethiock, Cornwall 1700-1800

VINAL Ditchling, Sussex 1700-1825

WADGE South Petherwin, Cornwall 1650-1700

WALDER Henfield, Sussex 1750-1825 see WOOLGAR

WALTER St. Dominick, Cornwall 1600-1675

WASEY Stokesby with Herringby & Great Yarmouth Norfolk 1725-1800 see BULLEY

WELLS Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire 1700-1750

* WHITE Castlemorton, Worcestershire 1700-1775

WHITE St. Mellion & St. Dominick, Cornwall 1675-1750 see OUGH

* WIGHT Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 1750-1900

* WILDES Lythe, Yorkshire 1650-1700 see MEAD

* WILLIS Ugborough, Devon 1750-1850

WILLS Mary Tavy, Devon 1625-1675 see ELFORD

WINDATT North Hill, Cornwall 1725-1850

WINLEY Writtle, Essex 1625-1750 see OLIVER

* WOOD Ugglebarnby and Whitby, Yorkshire 1725-1775 see MEAD

* WOODWORK Egton and Lythe, Yorkshire 1650-1800 see MEAD

WOOLGAR (early generations) Henfield, Sussex 1500-1850, WOOLGAR (more recent generations) Finchley, Middlesex 1825-1875 and Mitcham & Dulwich, Surrey 1850-1900

* WORGAN Awre with Blakeney and Newland, Gloucestershire 1700-1775 see MILSON

* WRIGHT Rayne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 1750-1825

‘There is properly no history; only biography’  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Advertisement