Thread: John Brennan& Emma Griffith/Griffin/Johnson

Hi all, My 3x Gt Grandparents were John Brennan & Emma Johnson(or so i was lead to believe),HOWEVER after getting 4 of their childrens birth certificates they give Emma's Maiden name as 3 different one's i.e Johnson/Griffith & Griffin, they are DEFINATELY the right certificates as on all of them it gives John's occupation as a Gimper which is correct. John is the informant on 2 and gives her maiden name as Griffith & Griffin,Emma being the informant on the other 2 and gives her maiden name as Johnson & Griffin.I think John & Emma married about 1856 as their first chlld was born 1857c and don't think Emma was married before as going by the census's she was born 1837c.Having looked several times over the last 5 years i still can't find a marriage between a John Brennan & Emma Johnson/Griffin/Griffith ANYWHERE!Has anyone come across this kind of thing before ?

Where were they born please?

Gillian

Hi Joak ,

Brennans are my brickwall.Boy have they given me a headache over the years.

Just a thought have you tried looking under variants of Brennan for the marriage cert.

Emma's surname has changed so why not John's.

My gg grandfather was called Brennan,his name changed on marriage cert's, birth cert's and the census. On some the surname is Brannan others Brennan and on one census even Branning .

Hi Gillian,John was born in Ireland,Emma in Derby

Thanks Lizanne,Yes i've had a spelling as Brannan on the 1871 census,but will try putting in different spellings for the marriage,where were your Brennan's ? my John was born in Roscommon Ireland 1835c & Emma was born in Derby,and stayed in Derby.Just wondered if there may be a link

Well - it's a long way from Brown to Brennan but I still think this might be it -

September quarter 1856 Derby 7b 594 Emma Griffin to either John Brown or Reuben Ford

Gillian

Hi Gillian & Lizanne,It may have been along way from Brown to Brennan,but the marriage youpointed out to me was the right one definately,i guess Brennan with a very strong accent (which i'm sure John Brennan could have had) could sound like Brown .The witness's were a Thomas & Sarah Middleton when i looked at their marriage index Sarah's maiden name was JOHNSON.

I received Emma Griffins birth certificate today and her father was John Griffin mother Ellen JOHNSON,it appears that they never married so techically Emma was either a Griffin or Johnson.Thank you for all your help

So pleased the mystery is solved - thanks for posting the outcome!

Gillian