Genealogy Chat

Hi, My g/grandparents arrived in England in the mid 1850's from Germany and changed their name to Baker [I think].Is their any websites that can tell me their previous name and where they emigrated from etc.? He was a musician. Hopefully. Dek

Hi Derek, I have the same but mine came from Germany 1870's (fortunately they didn't change their name!!!) BUT I have looked everywhere and cannot find any records - Germany was a different country entirely back then. You'd have to know exactly where they came from and then try to trawl any parish records that might have been kept. Your search will have to include Germany, Austria, France, Bavaria etc. etc. Sorry it's not much help. A veritable brick wall!!!! Lucinda

Have you tried rootsweb*.*com (remove asterisk) ? - looking at the message boards and mailing lists? Worth a try. Happy hunting. :-) Joy

Have you looked to see if they just translated their name (from Baecker/Bäcker)? - it would have sounded very similar. Christine

I have a Bauer (who was a baker, confectioner) and on the census returns it shows his town in Germany as birthplace. Have you found them on any census?

Hi, Thanks for all your replies. Yes I found them in the 1861 census living in Leicester, by 1881 they'd moved to Derby and where running a lodging house. Unfortunatly before that its a black hole. I,ve not tried the rootsweb, I,ll give that a go next. Thanks again. Dek Hudson

Hi I have found www.ancestry.co.uk very helpful. Go to 'family trees' section and put in their name. I found several german & swiss ancestors through this way. hope it helps good luck. tricia

I see that by 1891 George has a different wife - julia born in Ireland. Wonder whether you have that marriage cert and if he named his father?

Hi, Thanks again for the help, aspecially the information about the second marriage which I had missed completely. I was looking in the wrong direction! My only problem now is not to burn my computer out!! regards. Dek Hudson.