This is a preserved archive of comments on our surname project from a previous version of the site.
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Comments about this page
Linda,
You are right on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border so may need to be looking in both counties. If you want to know about Gardner (and variant spelling) Baptisms/Marriage/Burials in the area of Cropredy/Great Bourton including Thomas you can contact our Search Services from our website. See https://www.ofhs.uk/category/resources/ofhs-search-services. Gardner/Gardiner/Gardener is quite a common name in Oxfordshire, so there are plenty of families in the county.
hello I was wondering if someone could help me with finding out about my 3rd great grandfather who came to Australia please.Thomas Gardner 1827–1903 Birth 1827 • Great Bourton, Oxfordshire, England Death 07 APR 1903 • Smeaton, Victoria, Australia. He married Selina Durran 1829–1887 Birth 19-10-1829 • Snitterfield, Warwickshire, England Death 30 SEP 1887 • Creswick, Victoria, Australia
Pete,
I noticed that an Edward, possibly father to yours was a vicar in Bletchingdon, so you might have to look further afield on this family as vicars did travel around. Our Search Services could provide you with a list of Giles/Gyles burials in Bletchingdon which might help you narrow down female names for a wife. You might also check our will transcriptions for Giles family members and their relatives in various places which could help you link up members of the family. If you are an OFHS member, then although we are not running our face-to-face helpdesks due to Covid-19, members can access a mentoring service via the Members’ Area where someone might be able to give you other clues to help you search for the people you are seeking. Good luck.
Sue
hello
i am looking for info on Edward Giles/Gyles born 1630 in Bletchingdon he had 5 children Thomas, Edward, John, Humphrey and George, i would like to find the name of his wife and any other info that would be available
Thanks
pete
Hello Linda,
We offer our Search Services capability for Oxfordshire parish records/census/Monumental inscriptions. See https://www.ofhs.uk/category/resources/ofhs-search-services
If you would like to do research yourself and want someone to mentor you to help guide you on your search we also have a mentorship option for OFHS members. We are exploring other help options during the COVID-19 period but for the moment those are our capabilities. Hopefully some kind soul may decide to do some work for you.
Sue
hello I was wondering if someone could help me with finding out about my 3rd great grandfather who came to Australia please.Thomas Gardner 1827–1903 Birth 1827 • Great Bourton, Oxfordshire, England Death 07 APR 1903 • Smeaton, Victoria, Australia. He married Selina Durran 1829–1887 Birth 19-10-1829 • Snitterfield, Warwickshire, England Death 30 SEP 1887 • Creswick, Victoria, Australia
Helen,
I hope you find some connection with Woodstock in Oxfordshire. If you do, then do get your husband to join the Oxfordshire DNA project http://www.familytreedna.com/groups/oxfordshire
We can’t send you details of any connection if we find any in the project until he is part of the project, for security reasons. However he should get matches himself; if he connects to someone else anywhere on the FTDNA DNA database and that person has Thompsons in Oxfordshire then you will automatically get a match in his account and you can join the Oxfordshire project (and persuade the matching person to join if he hasn’t already). That would be great for everyone and boost our project.
If you are in England in January then do come and visit one of our advisors at the Oxfordshire History Centre, Oxfordshire Central Library or various other libraries around the county. It’s free and we might be able to help you go deeper. Availability of advisors will be on our website http://www.ofhs.org.uk. Do look out for library closures though as January can sometimes be a month when some do stocktaking etc.
Sue
Hi Sue
A family story for my husband’s earliest Thompson ancestor – Joseph Thompson who migrated to the Colony of New South Wales (Australia) in 1828 with his wife Eleanor Page – is that he came from Woodstock in England [thought to be Woodstock, Oxfordshire].
My husband has done the FTDNA Y-DNA test. If you have any Thompson men from Woodstock who do the Y-DNA test we would be very interested to see if there is a match. He has joined the Thompson DNA Project https://www.familytreedna.com/public/thompson.
We are visiting Oxfordshire in January. I have ordered some Woodstock parish register transcripts on CD from the OFHS to see if we can find any reference to his Thompson family ancestors.
Helen
Hi Sue
I have joined the OFHS and uploaded my DNA to your project. All my Oxfordshire ancestry is on my father’s line; should I enter my oldest *female* person (but still on my father’s line) to the family DNA database, or should I leave that side blank?
Regarding the surname project, I have searched your surnames list and am happy to offer contributions to HEYDON, SLATTER and STILGOE on your priority list, and also COLES, COOPER, HOLLIER, KNIGHT, NORRIS and WHITE. I also have AYRIS, CLEST and VIVERS in my tree from the 16th century. Maybe you could contact me by e-mail so I can upload some files? Let me know what to concentrate on first.
Many thanks & best wishes
Hazel McGee
nee SLATTER (Watlington branch)
Caleb,
I suggest your first port of call should be the Oxfordshire History Centre as you mentioned. If you go on a Tuesday or a Thursday, not only are the archives available but we have an OFHS advisor there who can provide you with additional help and ideas on searches. Before you come over you might want to check the History Centre catalogue at Heritage Search https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/heritagesearch to see if there are any specific documents you might want to order to be available to you. You will need some ID and 2 photos to look at original documents. The OFHS person on duty (we sit in the glass cave near the front door) can help you look at all the Bartholemews (and variant spellings) in Oxfordshire parish records from 1837 and also suggest other options. Burford has a small museum (Tolsey Museum) which you might want to check out. If you can look at maps in the History Centre you may be able to find more exact locations of where your family lived and visit them. I’m sure others have additional suggestions for you….
Sue Honore
My family and I are coming for a visit. We are Bartholomew with roots in Burford and Warborough. I have done a DNA test. I have been in contact with the Historical Centre but is there any where else we can go to do additional family research?
My last name is Bartholomew. I live in the U.S. I believe that my first paternal male ancestor in America came from Burford In Oxfordshire. I have had my DNA tested with a company named Living DNA. Would my Y-DNA data be of any use to your research? If it is, is the company I used compatible with your database system?
Emma,
Thank you for your information and list of names. We are now getting to the stage in the project where some names are being written up and we may contact you to ask for your help on your specific lines. You may be able to transfer your autosomal test to our Oxfordshire project – depending on who you tested with initially. Although we desperately want males, we do take autosomal tests into the Oxfordshire project, especially those with good multiple Oxfordshire lines like yours, and as we get better at evaluating autosomal DNA it will become useful to Oxfordshire as a whole as well as the individuals. See
https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/imports/transfer-autosomal-ancestry/family-tree-dna-family-finder-transfer-program/
If you have successfully transferred your test and have a FamilyTreeDNA ID and password, you can then join any voluntary groups you like – for example for your surname(s) and if you have Oxfordshire ancestry, our Oxfordshire project. To join the Oxfordshire project:
Sign on, and on your dashboard click on ‘MyProjects’, then ‘Join a Project’. There will be a list at the bottom of categories. Select DUAL (Y-DNA AND MTDNA) GEOGRAPHICAL PROJECTS then select the letter ‘O’ and from there select ‘Oxfordshire’ and join.
We appreciate you going into ‘manage personal information’, selecting the genealogy tab and filling in your oldest known male and female ancestors (including dates if known and place in Oxfordshire where appropriate) and any surnames in your family tree. That helps us manage the results.
In the future if you ever want to find our project it is at http://www.familytreedna.com/groups/oxfordshire
Thank you for getting in touch.
Sue
Hi,
I have researched my family tree for many years and have the following Oxfordshire family named in my tree (mostly from the Ploughley hundred) :
Hope, Busby, Grubb, Billingham, Cleaver, Hawkes, Timms, Cockins, Vennimore/Fennimore, Watts, Jenkins, Hutt, Steptoe, Gardner, Broom, Fairbrother, Cullum, Wiggins, Needle, Cox, Alder, Cook, Townsend. They are all direct line.
I have had my autosomal DNA tested and can send you a Gedcom. Sadly there are no males alive that I can ask for DNA from.
If any of this is of interest then I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes and I wish you much success with your project.
Emma
Ceri,
I am delighted you want to contribute. I will reply to you by email.
Sue
I am related to the Tripp’s in Henley, Oxfordshire and have already taken a ancestry dna test, if it helps also im happy to help transcribe
Krissy,
Do stop by at the Oxfordshire History Centre when you come to the UK. We have advisors there on a Tuesday and Thursday – no booking needed – and one of us can have a discussion with you and see if there is anything we can help with. Do also check the OHC archives catalogue – called Heritage Search – to see if there are any specific documents you might want to see on the day of your visit and make sure you book them in advance. Heritage Search
You will need to bring 2 passport type photos and some ID like a passport to get a card to access original documents. This History Centre itself is open Tuesday to Saturday inclusive but do make sure you check the website as they do have closure days now and again, especially on a Saturday. As Abingdon was once in Berkshire, you might want to check if there is anything at the Berkshire Record Office in Reading that is of interest too.
If you have any specific questions you want answered which require local knowledge or some preparation then do tell us.
Other than that do send me further details on your Smart family in Abingdon and we can add you to the list of people researching specific surnames and get in touch when we get to those names. Contact us via surname-project@ofhs.org.uk
Sue (apologies for the later reply – your message slipped through the net)
1/21/19
Hi Sue,
I am working on the Smart family. Right now my direct relatives (3 great, 2 great and my great grandfather) were all from Abingdon. My great-grandfather moved eventually to the USA, where his family continues to live.
I am coming to Oxford/Abingdon in June 2019 to see what I can dig up.
I plan to stop at the Oxfordshire History Centre.
If there is any help that I can give you let me know. If there is anywhere or anyone I should speak to while I’m in town please let me know that, as well.
Best,
Krissy Iverson Valk
Shelley,
Apolgies I didn’t get to this yesterday. Yes you can administer a DNA account for someone else. You can put your name & address in as purchaser, and your contact email address as the email used for the account. This email address is the critical part. All correspondence will then go to you. Put the tester’s name and address in the ‘ship to’ data. I always recommend that you get a written statement from the tester saying that they agree to you administering the account and give you formal access to all the data. It can be in a written letter or email, but you keep it safe in case it is needed. Make sure the tester signs the release form included with the DNA test kit to give access to their data for others too, otherwise testing really has no meaning. You can then adjust the access levels online within the account for different people – the adminstrators of projects, the public etc.
Sue
Hi Sue,
I’m trying to get in on the Y-DNA sale before the year end but I have so many questions. I’m researching the John Whiting/Martha Turfrey family, mid 1700s in Hailey. I have a male Whiting cousin who is willing to have the test to help me in my research. However he lives in a different town than me, and has no interest in doing the research. Can I oversee/manage his test results? and is there a paper for him to sign to give me that authority?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Shelley
Irene – I hope you find success in your search and if it connects to Wades in Oxfordshire then we’d happily have you on our DNA project (we accept people with a documented connection to the county). However, have you tried a DNA test anyway, as some of the people that you may connect to might end up being on the Wade line? Within FamilyTreeDNA,the company that we work with, there is a project for people with the surname Wade. You need to be a male with a Y-DNA test to join that project so if you have a male Wade relative who is prepared to test then you could see if that finds you/him some connections. https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/wade
Sue
I tracing my Wade/Gleaton/Hawke/Hardin ancestors. Also Belchers are big on my list of surnames. I’m hitting a brick wall with my Wades. The last Wade was Zachariah Wade married to Mary Hatton in the 1600s in Maryland, USA. I have run across Wades in Oxfordshire, but haven’t been able to make any connection to them. If anyone can help me, I’d be most appreciative.
Irene Wade Belcher
Thanks Sue.
Back in Oxfordshire for a few days but will get started when I get back.
All the best
Alan
Alan,
All new users are encouraged to set up their profiles to help us and others who might be cousins to you to understand your ancestry. You can get started even before your test kit arrives.
Log in to your account. On your dashboard towards the upper left side will be some words to ‘manage your profile’. There are security and access levels (as project co-ordinators we’d love to have the highest access available to us – but that is up to you). Check all your other details and needs in this profile area to make sure everything is correct.
Most importantly go into the genealogy tab and enter the surnames you are researching (with place names in Oxfordshire or elsewhere & dates if known) and your oldest known male ancestor on your pure male line (again try & fit in name, place and dates if possible). If you have had an autosomal or mtDNA test do put in your oldest known female ancestor on your pure female line too.
Then if you want to, you can upload a GEDCOM family tree (with living people marked as private) or build your own mini tree using the FTDNA software.
By having a list of surnames and places and a tree, it not only helps us as administrators to do our surname research, but it also means those people who are genetic cousins can see that list. It makes it easier for people to find those people they really might have a connection to – by linking surnames and places of common interest.
As you have been Y-DNA tested, you are a valuable person to other projects too. I would wait for your results to come back before acting, but go through the list of projects. There may be a surname project that contains your surname variant or others that are of interest. Joining any project once you have a kit is free.
Sue
Hi Sue
Joined and ordered the kit
What do I do now (apart from wait for it to arrive?)
Alan,
You are in luck because CRUTCH is actually on our top list. See http://www.ofhs.uk/oxfordshire-surname-project/oxfordshire-surname-project-list/
Therefore we would be delighted if you would have a DNA test.
Go to http://www.familytreedna.com/groups/oxfordshire
Click on the ‘join’ button
Buy a Y-DNA 37 test or Y-67 test if you can afford it – that one is better for us and for you in terms of linking with relatives. Only males can have this test.
We would be extremely happy to have you as part of the DNA project. Once you have joined Richard and I will help you with any questions you may have.
Sue
Hi
Happy to have a DNA test if you are interested in the Crutch family from Woodstock, Doubt if it is in the top 200 Oxfordshire names though!.
Alan
Elaine,
Thank you for getting in touch. We have noted your surnames being researched for the surname project. It would be great if you or (even more useful) male relative(s) with these surnames could be DNA tested. If you know of a male with RIMELL surname do contact us via dna@ofhs.org.uk as we may be able to get a susbidised test for him.
Sue Honore
Oxfordshire DNA & Surname Projects
Families researched: Rimell from Sibford Gower; Fardon from Woodstock, Adderbury, Deddington, North Newington; Malings/Malins from Deddington; Churchill from Deddington; Bazeley from Deddington; Wellman from Deddington; Franklin from Deddington; Browne from Deddington
Regards
Elaine Ward
Hi from Albany Western Australia , i have been researching the Harris family from Charlbury , other names are Hutt from Finstock , Clary from Charlbury , French from Willcott and Trotman from Stonsfield .
Regards
Allan Harris
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