14 Comments
User's avatar
Cath Giesbrecht's avatar

The census transcriptions can be pretty hilarious too -- whoever transcribed the 1860 census for Monmouth County, NJ, listed my great-grandmother, Mary Ann Schanck, as "Mouga Scouch." I get that the last name is a tough one, but the census taker's handwriting was pretty clear about "Mary Ann." Mouga? My cousin and I now have our own sarcastic comment on life: "Mouga would be so proud."

Expand full comment
Cynthia Boatright Raleigh's avatar

That's great....I laughed at that. You're right, the transcriptions can be hilarious. I know there have been a lot I've cackled over but didn't write down.

Expand full comment
Kyla Bayang's avatar

It happens today too. Our last name is Bayang, and once at a restaurant we laughed all afternoon at the announcement “Barnyard party of four”!! Great fun post and reminders!

Expand full comment
Cynthia Boatright Raleigh's avatar

Oh my gosh.... they didn't think about that before they said it. LOL

Expand full comment
Kyla Bayang's avatar

I do have quite a Texas twang, but I don't think I'm that bad! In fact, its BUY-YANG, too, so who knows! It was IHOP in Kentucky and about 6:30am so... it was really fun to laugh that long before breakfast though! :)

Expand full comment
Cynthia Boatright Raleigh's avatar

I bet they'd understand a Texas twang in Kentucky...sounds like someone jotted it down wrong or their handwriting was pretty bad. At least it gave you a laugh!

Expand full comment
Emma - Journeys into Genealogy's avatar

Great article Cynthia - I have a French family name "Fonblanque" which has been recorded in many different ways - I have to be quite creative when searching....

Expand full comment
Cynthia Boatright Raleigh's avatar

Oh, I can imagine how many different spellings you need to search on!

Expand full comment
Emma - Journeys into Genealogy's avatar

And I save each different one I find so I can search for them in the future...

Expand full comment
Shell Norman's avatar

Haha "does as she pleases"! 😂

Expand full comment
Lori Olson White's avatar

On any given day that same occupation could be recorded for my grandchildren HAHA

Expand full comment
Shell Norman's avatar

Haha My daughter was over yesterday with all four of her children running around, and reminded me of a meme she saw. She said: "I'm so tired of babysitting my mother's grandchildren." 😉

Expand full comment
Lynda Heines's avatar

Drinks too much - so funny. Yep, those names can be pretty wild, and I can imagine (but never thought about until this post) how difficult and possibly dangerous then and even now. Great post!

Expand full comment
Savanna King's avatar

Catherine Cudney is such a classic :D

Expand full comment