There's an entry in the Alva OPR for a 1655 birth-"Helen Ranny, father William Ranny or Young". Does anyone know if the "Young" would be the surname of William's wife or his mother? .None of William's children have a mother recorded, but one of the witnesses was an Alexander Young. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place but I can't find an explanation of this dual surname thing.
Elisabeth
Two surnames .....
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DavidWW
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Elisabeth
It most probably means that William went by the surname of RANNY, but actually had the surname YOUNG.
It wasn't uncommon for someone with a frequently occuring suname to adopt a different one in daily life, - a bit like the Welsh idea of Jones the Butcher etc., except the Scots did it by using a different surname instead of an occupation.
David
It most probably means that William went by the surname of RANNY, but actually had the surname YOUNG.
It wasn't uncommon for someone with a frequently occuring suname to adopt a different one in daily life, - a bit like the Welsh idea of Jones the Butcher etc., except the Scots did it by using a different surname instead of an occupation.
David
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elisabeth
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Thank you, David. I was hoping it might be a common practice to be described by your wife's surname as well as your own in the 1600s, which would have made it easier to tie some loose ends together! Still, I must restrain myself from bending the information to give me a neat result. 
I appreciate your quick reply.
Elisabeth
I appreciate your quick reply.
Elisabeth