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[Pandabean]

After doing some research and speaking to relatives I have found that within my Greenlees line the Thorburn surnames crops up a fair bit. I am just wondering if I can find any more information on the connection?

So far:

20 June 1834

William Greenlees (carter) residing in this parish and Margaret Sneddon, Daughter of James Sneddon (Collier) also residing in this Parish gave in their names for proclamation of banns on the 14th of June 1834. Cautioner for the man John Thorburn and for the Woman John Hay. Married The 20th June 1834.

Sone to this couple:
JOHN THORBURN GREENLEES, b. 21 Aug 1839, Inveresk With Musselburgh, Midlothian5.

The son changed his name for some reason from John Thorburn to William.

Next time this name comes into the family line is when William (AKA John Thorburn) married a Jane Fairnie. After his death Jane remarried to a Thorburn (Can't remember the name off the top of my head at the mo)


After contact with a relative her ast name is Thorburn and there was a couple of marriages on her line with Thorburns. I do not think they are related.



The questions I am wanting to know is
how do I find out that John Thorburn changed his name to William?
Has anyone else come across this kind of connection in their family lines?

[Jack]

Hi Andy,
Hope this is the correct family.
Unless the OPR has an error on the forename,
then it looks like John was known as William from a very early age.
--
1841 census 689 Ed 12 p 7 (Inveresk)
High St, F'row, N Side.
William GREENLEES, 25, carter, b MLN
Margaret GREENLEES, 30, ---------b MLN
William GREENLEES, 2, --------------b MLN
Elisebeth GREENLEES, 64, pauper, b MLN
--
1851 census 689 (756) Ed 6 p 35 (Inveresk)
New St, East.
Willliam GREENLEES, head, marr, 37, carter, b Musselburgh, MLN
Margaret GREENLEES, wife, marr, 44, -----------b not given, FIF
William GREENLEES, son, 13, ----------------------b not given, FIF [sic]
Margaret GREENLEES, daur, 6, ---------------------b Musselburgh, MLN
John GREENLEES, son, 4, ----------------------------b Musselburgh, MLN
Elisabeth GREENLEES, daur, 1, ---------------------b Musselburgh, MLN
Walter BROWN, lodger, widower, 39, fisherman, b Musselburgh, MLN
--
Jack

[Pandabean]

Jack,

Thanks for that but I already have the census records for that family. So the name change must have been between when he was born in 1839 to 1841.

Could the family have fell out with the Thorburns? Speculation from another relative suggests that John Thorburn (Cautioner for the marriage of William and Elisabeth) was a cousin to Elisabeth Peat.

There is another strange thing though;
We can find no trace of Elizabeth born around 1850. And as far as I know we have been unable to find her in later censuses or a death record for her.

[Jack]

Hi Andy,

>Could the family have fell out with the Thorburns?

That's just what i was thinking!
Or, for some reason, the minister accidentally wrote down the witness' name.

Jack