“A Rose by any other name might be called Polly, Molly or Maude.”
Deciphering The First, Middle and Nicknames of our Ancestors. By Kathy Jones-Kristof.
There are many common nicknames. Knowing these can help you identify or verify individuals.
| Agnes | Aggie, Nancy (a Scottish tradition) |
| Andrew | Andy, Drew |
| Dorothy | Dee, Dodie, Dolly, Dot, Dottie, Dora |
| Edward or Edwin | Ed, Ted, Ned |
| Eleanor | Elle, Ellie, Ellen, Helen, Nell, Nellie, Nora, Lenora |
| Elizabeth or Elisabeth | Beth, Betty, Bess, Betsy, Libby, Liz, Lizzie, Lizzy, Eliza, Liza |
| Frances | Fran, Fanny, Fannie |
| Francis | Frank |
| Katherine | Kathy, Kate, Katie, Kitty |
| Margaret | Peg, Peggy, Maggie, Madge, Margie, Midge, Mitzi, Meg, Daisy, Rita, Margo, Greta |
| Martha | Patsy, Patty, Mattie |
| Mary | Molly, Polly, Mae, May, Mamie, Marie |
| Nancy | Ann, Nan |
| Sarah | Sally, Sallie, Sadie |
| Virginia | Gina, Ginger, Ginny, Jenny, Vergie |
| III (meaning the third) | Tre, Trey, Terry |
Tips
Know your family. Don’t neglect the collateral lines (brothers, sisters, etc., not in your direct line of descent).
The name Griffin is a common first name (given name) in my family (Coleman). Griffin is often called Griff. When I saw a family genealogy book say that there a Grief Coleman in the 1800 Census, I suspect that is a misspelling.
Ethnic and National Background
Sometimes a choice of nickname comes from the family’s background. In Scottish custom, an Agnes might be called Nancy.
Caution
As always, use good judgment and multiple sources in your research. Example: you can’t always assume that a name is a nickname for another name. Sometimes Sallie is just Sallie.
