Deciphering Help - 1910 US Census, Philadelphia

[Rockford]

Hi folks,

I've just uploaded a page of the 1910 US Census for Philadelphia City. The people I'm interested in are right at the top of the page - Stewart A Burnside, Sarah Burnside and Sarah Mc****y.
http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1315

Can anyone suggest what the surname of the third person could be? She is described as a niece to the head of the household, Alexander Burnside [he's on the previous page]. His niece's surname may be a tantalising clue as to the maiden name of his wife, who was also called Sarah! Alexander and his wife were both Irish, but must have met in the States. I suppose having your wife, sister and niece all with the same name must have made things easier (!)

I thought it was McCurdy, but I can only find one Sarah McCurdy on the Ellis Island records and she is too old and entered the USA too late to be Alexander's niece. She isn't with the family in later Censuses.

All help appreciated!

Best wishes

Brian
<image URL added, LesleyB>

[LesleyB]

Hi Brian
Looks to me like it perhaps ends _nay.

Having just spent a great deal of time on a family recently called variously McIneenay, McEnany, McInany, Mcineenay/ey McInennay/ey etc. and so on, for about 30 odd creative variations, you'll understand why I'm loathe to speculate any further.
I'm not sure my poor battered brain is up to it frankly....

If there is one thing I learnt from the exercise, it is that an Irish surname, heard outside it's country of origin, is entirely in the ears of the beholder and completely at the mercy of the enumerator, registrar or whoever else thought they heard it....!

Best wishes
Lesley

[Russell]

Hi Brian

I would go along with your MCurdy identification.
The enumerator is consistent in how he forms a capital 'C' and his lower case 'd' tends to have a very short upward stroke.
Perhaps you need the previous page to check out the rest of the household.

Russell

[Rockford]

Lesley,

When I first saw the census, my first thought was McInanay or something like that, but then McCurdy came to me in a flash of brillance and now I can't see past it! I can commiserate with your trials with the names you are looking for yourself - if you've seen my other post about the Gwynnes [who also seem to have been Irish and who frequently baffled the Lanarkshire enumerators - as Russell knows!], you'll know what I mean!!

Russell,

Thanks for confirming that McCurdy isn't beyond reason! The issue I've had is that I can't find any Sarah McCurdys of the right age entering the USA via Ellis ISland, which is where most of the ships from Londonderry [where the Burnsides came from] seem to have arrived. I'm no further forward, but at least I've got clues!!

In the meantime, I'll just need to console myself that I think I've found Alexander's, son, Stewart A. Burnside and his wife, Lydia, in the US Social Security Index.

Best wishes

Brian

Later Edit: IT'S MCKENDRY!!!!!!!!!! I've just found a nephew Stewart J McKendry living with Sarah Burnside (now widowed) and her son Stewart A. Burnside in the 1930 US Census. Checking the Ellis Island records shows that SARAH MCKENDRY entered the States from Londonderry in 1909, which fits the earlier Census.

I've been working through a pile of certificates I downloaded at Ancestry's last free trial and must have missed this the first time

[Russell]

Brilliant Brian

We were close but not close enough

My original thoughts were that Sarah had arrived on an earlier boat - as a child.
My sympathies are with the enumerator though. Trying to fit all these unfamiliar names into such close set, narrow columns must have been a nightmare. Some would have only rudimentary English - if they had any at all - and regional accents that would have baffled an interpreter.

It's great to make that additional link though.

Russell

[emanday]

I've been working through a pile of certificates I downloaded at Ancestry's last free trial and must have missed this the first time

No need to be about that I think we all have little treasures hiding amongst our "to be looked at later" and "mistakes" files. Like you, some of us do actually manage to find them later.

Thinks - now when did I last check that file

[LesleyB]

Hi Rockford

Later Edit: IT'S MCKENDRY!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant! To actually be able to tie the whotsits down to a recognisable version of a surname is an achievement in itself! Well done!

Best wishes
Lesley