u/Eclectic66

hi. i am chasing down my 2nd great gf called Thomas White aged 32 in the 1841 census so born some time 1809 give or take . census says b. Poplar, part of Stepney at the time. I think my Thomas had a name change? The church is the same church he got married in. the nearest i have got so far! Last night i found a William born to a Thomas (labourer) and Ann. The names fit down the line and my Thomas (William) is probably not the first son! am now going to look for a death and any brothers to fit my theory of the name change. has anyone else had this issue as i want to get an idea of the likelihood. we are only on theories at this stage.
god knows where his parents came from originally. surname White is so common and that area had more than its fair share of migrating people. i am guessing Norfolk or Suffolk if they were not from certain parts of non catholic Ireland, thinking there was a very good reason to move area and what to do if destitute and not belonging to a parish!? Even if I get no further I have got further than I was before and have spent a lot of time researching navy possibilities given the area. And today an hour’s lesson learning how to use the NLS map system to see where my ancestors lived and how close the families were from Census info. so all good. most flattened in the Blitz.
thanks