320 On some Curiosities and Statistics of Parish Registers. 



doubt be referred by a casual observer who was unacquainted with 

 its real history, to a scriptural origin. Similarly the now not un- 

 common Wiltshire name of Amor has nothing- whatever to do with 

 the widespread influence which is denoted by that word in Latin, 

 but is simply a corruption of Aylmer, as traceable in the registers 

 of St. Katharine's, Savernake. Spelling is, I need scarcely say, a 

 matter of the most perfect indifference up to a very short while ago. 

 There are repeated instances in the Cherhill books of the same name 

 being spelled differently in the same entry ; and in successive entries 

 the variety is infinite. Ealey, Ealy, Elly, Ely, and Hely all occur 

 within the space of one generation for the same family. So Hazel, 

 Hazell, Hasel, Heasel, and Hezel. And this list I^might multiply 

 almost indefinitely.' 



In Christian names the great cnax appears to have been the name 

 of Rebecca, which occurs in almost every imaginable spelling, the 

 most curious perhaps being Rebakko, in 171(3, and Rabacko, in 1725. 

 In the name of Elizabeth the only question appears to have been 

 whether to assign the « to the second syllable and the e to the last, 

 or vice versa. Hester appears in the curious form of Easter, in 

 1724, and Martha in that of Mattha (as it is even now often pro- 

 nounced), five years later. Sarah similarly becomes Sary, in 1734, 

 and Saro on a subsequent occasion ; Alice, Ellis, in 1756, and Elice, 

 in 1721 ; while we get at different times such strange, yet clearly- 

 recognizable designations as Meriah, Georog, Edwan, Meery, and 

 Edument. One Lucy Alexander has been unfortunate in the spelling 

 of both her names, appearing as Lusy Elxander in 1739. Three 

 Christains appear to one Christian : eight Hannahs spell their name 

 with one n against fourteen who enjoy the usual number: and al- 

 though we have one Winifred, the balance of testimony is largely 

 in favour of Wineford. An Orford, baptized in 1833, I strongly 

 suspect to have been named, not after the noble house of Walpole, 



' So in the records of my own family, the last syllable of our name is spelled 

 in no less than five difierent ways. And I actually find one of my ancestors 

 inscribed on the Scottish Parliamentary Roll with one spelling in 1670, and his 

 brother appointed Commissioner of Supply for the county with another spelling 

 in 1615, while they were both of them making contemporaneous entries in our 

 family Bible with a third ! 



I 



