Back in the 30's up til the 90's why would some 1 lie about their real name?

Question

My grandmothers name was Eliza Ann Hale, but on her marriage certificate and on all of her childrens birth certificates she put Elizabeth Annie Hale?

She had her birth certificate so we know she new her real name, her name was passed down from her grandmother and grandmothers mother.

so why would some 1 do this? her own children thought her name was elizabeth, when she died we put on their elizabeth Annie!

Answer 1

Elizabeth is a short form of Elizabeth.  Annie is a nick name for Ann.

Perhaps she preferred to be called Elizabeth Annie.  That is her right and would probably be pleased that that is the name on her headstone.

And you should really not call someone stupid--very rude.

Answer 2

My paternal grandmother was always known as "Maud" and that is what I thought her name was.

It turned out that her given name was Mary Ann, but that was also her mother's name so, to distinguish between the two, she became Maud to everyone who knew her and is what she called herself.

Eliza was probably going out of fashion (my grandmother b.1874 was called Eliza - she called my mother Alice b.1901)when your grandmother had her children and she preferred Elizabeth which is a timeless name.

Answer 3

First of all, nothing legally prevented your grandmother from using a variation of her given name if she didn't intend to waive legal liability or perform fraudulent actions. When signing wills, trusts, and deeds, however, it would have been advisable to attach an affidavit noting her "legal" name, but it wasn't legally necessary to do so (at least according to the web site link below).

Your grandmother's parents passed down to her the names of her great grandmother and grandmother, so she may have wanted to make sure she stood out from the first two Eliza Anns.  

Elizabeth Annie is also a more formal version of Eliza Ann. Occasionally, an individual will unofficially change his or her name because he/she thinks it sounds more distinctive. My sister-in-law, for instance, legally has no middle name; however, when she married, she put a middle name on her wedding invitations.  Moreover, I've known lots of legally-named Bills, Bettys, and Jim Bobs who hated to admit that they weren't really a William, Elizabeth, or a James Robert.

Incidentally, under common law, "a legal name consists of one Christian name and one surname, and the insertion, omission, or mistake in middle name is immaterial.  The 'legal name' consists of a given or baptismal name, usually assumed at birth, and a surname derived from the common name of the parents" (Black's 466).  

So how about a little charity on your part towards your grandmother and Zombi?

Answer 4

Maybe she just preferred elizabeth? or maybe her mother used to call her elizabeth? Was a relative of hers called eliza? maybe her mother called her elizabeth not to get the two confused.  

Answer 5

Eliza Ann could be a variation and diminutive of Elizabeth Annie and she could have preferred that to her original name. Perhaps, making this a more interesting subject, she was a run-away or something.

Answer 6

I don't use my given name I use an abbreviated version.

When I was young I thought my grans real name was Rita as that's what my grandad called her and I only found out not that long ago that her name is margaret.

Also at college I knew a lady called Ann I later found out her real name was Andrewina!

there are lots of reasons people don't use there full or real names In my opinion she probably just liked the other name better!  

Answer 7

Um.

Did it ever occur to you that those are THE SAME NAMES?  

What do you think "Eliza" and "Ann" are short for?