Genealogy Chat

Have just discovered my 3xgrt grandmothers name was Elizabeth Minard from Herefordshire. What I would like to know is, how do you pronounce the name Minard. Is the MI pronounced as in MINI or as MY. I also have the name Peberdy and am not sure how that name is pronounced. from Maxine

Maxine How it was pronounced would depend a bit on where you come from and also when - pronunciation changes over time. I would say Minnnard (short i). Never come across Peberdy but I would say Peb-erdy I think. But in Herefordshire it might be different. I am curious about my Mealings from Gloucestershire as they have also been recorded as Maling. Would they be pronounced Mayling or Meeling? nell

I think that the pronunciation of names can vary according to the local dialect and the actual person. Its a bit like Hyacinth Bucket pronouncing it Bouquet!!!! The rules about pronunciation are a relatively new thing and not always adhered to, hence the variation in spelling of a lot of names on earlier records, they wrote down what they thought it sounded like. Mandy

If you could hear me sometimes you'd think I was mad. I have relatives from all over the country and I sit here trying to say the surnames in all of the accents (which I am really bad at!) in the hope of finding people under a different spelling! One of my lot from Suffolk was so tired of having to repeat his name when he moved up to Birmingham he called himself Bennett instead of Beament, even on the census returns! Mandy

Helen & Mandy.Thank you to you both. I also try and pronounce names in different accents. I also get my 9yr old to have a go. Talking of Hyacinth Bucket. My nan was Ivy Fallover, the name was pronounced with a short A like calibre. Though of course like Mrs Bucket the family were always called Fallover by anyone reading the name out. Luckily when she married she had a much easier name to live with. Maxine

just a thought Maxine is your name pronounce Morn, Maffan or Muffan? Morgan even

P C I get called all sorts of names. It was much easier when I was plain old Maxine Armstrong. I never had as much trouble with my 1st married name which was Hernandez. Its pronounced the same as Vaughan but with an M. Maxine

Hi Maxine I have MINARDS in my family but from Northampton and it is said as MInards not MYnards, hope this helps. Jill