Census name Changes

[WW2280]

I am doing some family history research. I am related to the Johnston family, however during the war according to census reports, they change their name to Johnson and drop the "T". Apparently many Johnstons did this. Why?

 

[BartlbyAdams]

I am doing some family history research. I am related to the Johnston family, however during the war according to census reports, they change their name to Johnson and drop the "T". Apparently many Johnstons did this. Why?

I cannot speak for your family but in my own research name changes happen fluidly. As families grow into new areas they change the name to differentiate themselves. Another reason is assimilation, Norwegian names for example are unbelievably hard to trace sometimes as they change dramatically over their lives. My 4G-Grandmother was horn Guri Thorkelsdatter and died Julia Anderson. My own last name goes from Barthel, to Bartl, to Bartel from 1780's to 1907.

In your case I would wager it was the differentiating factor especially with a very common name.

 

[WW2280]

I cannot speak for your family but in my own research name changes happen fluidly. As families grow into new areas they change the name to differentiate themselves. Another reason is assimilation, Norwegian names for example are unbelievably hard to trace sometimes as they change dramatically over their lives. My 4G-Grandmother was horn Guri Thorkelsdatter and died Julia Anderson. My own last name goes from Barthel, to Bartl, to Bartel from 1780's to 1907.

In your case I would wager it was the differentiating factor especially with a very common name.

From family stories, our name change comes from the belief that you didnt want to be associated with Joe Johnston. People in the south were not fond of him and didnt want to be confused with being related to him. I find this strange because 1) Joe wasnt that bad 2) there were several other generals with the last name Johnston who were very capable generals

 

[Scottish Rebel]

I am doing some family history research. I am related to the Johnston family, however during the war according to census reports, they change their name to Johnson and drop the "T". Apparently many Johnstons did this. Why?

Johnston is the Scottish variant of Johnson which is English.
Probably done due to anglicisation of surnames.

 

[Allyn]

Keep in mind that there was yet no consistency in the spelling of anything, including names. There didn't have to be some sinister or deliberate reason for the spelling of a name to morph to something slightly different. Sure, there were instances when the change was made with an eye to assimilation, to "fitting in" or seeming less foreign, but sometimes it was the result of an encounter with a semi-literate census taker or local official!

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I am doing some family history research. I am related to the Johnston family, however during the war according to census reports, they change their name to Johnson and drop the "T". Apparently many Johnstons did this. Why?

I don't know. I have some distant cousins whose name changed from NOE to NOEY to NOAH over the centuries, all while in America.

 

[Mississippian1861]

Could be any reason. When my 4x Great Grandfather was exiled from Poland to the US in 1833 he changed his name from Kwiakowski to Rosemond. Also My Great Grandmother had her husband change the spelling of McDonald to MacDonald in the late 1920s. She thought it had a more dignified look to it.

 

[John Winn]

I agree with others as to potential reasons but also think in the case of the census that the enumerator just wrote down what he thought the residents said. I doubt they asked anybody "how do you spell lananemelldahay." Maybe Johnson is just what they heard.

When I was first starting to learn how to do genealogical research I was very frustrated that I wasn't able to find any of my great grandfather's people (avatar guy) on the 1870 census. His surname was Winn and he lived in rural southern Georgia. Well, turned out that they were all recorded as Wyan (which I never thought to look for). If you know rural southern accents you can imagine how the enumerator heard their pronunciation of Winn as Wyan. So, your example just might be one of those kinds of things.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I agree with others as to potential reasons but also think in the case of the census that the enumerator just wrote down what he thought the residents said. I doubt they asked anybody "how do you spell lananemelldahay." Maybe Johnson is just what they heard.

When I was first starting to learn how to do genealogical research I was very frustrated that I wasn't able to find any of my great grandfather's people (avatar guy) on the 1870 census. His surname was Winn and he lived in rural southern Georgia. Well, turned out that they were all recorded as Wyan (which I never thought to look for). If you know rural southern accents you can imagine how the enumerator heard their pronunciation of Winn as Wyan. So, your example just might be one of those kinds of things.

You are correct indeed, @John Winn. In genealogical work over the decades (started in 1979) I have observed that census takers have often changed the surname just by writing it down just as they thought it was when they heard it. This has happened in my family in both the north and the south.

 

[Scottish Rebel]

Could be any reason. When my 4x Great Grandfather was exiled from Poland to the US in 1833 he changed his name from Kwiakowski to Rosemond. Also My Great Grandmother had her husband change the spelling of McDonald to MacDonald in the late 1920s. She thought it had a more dignified look to it.

It definitely has!