Monday, December 21, 2009

Census Holiday Names - Festivus

Recently Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings posted several Christmas Names in the Census Records and it was fun to see the various combinations including some bizarre and unintentional ones such as Robert Crachet.  In addition, Megan Smolenyak has a great post at The Huffington Post about unusual names not being a more recent practice especially among the celebrity set!

On a lark, I decided that Festivus is almost upon us, (and if you are a Seinfeld fan you surely know what this is), I would see if there were any records in the United States Federal Census or perhaps other indices for people with Festivus as a first or last name.

Well there doesn't seem to be much in terms of US records:
  • No surnames listed as Festivus however there were lots of Fastoffs/Fasthoffs/Fastovs.
However interesting results over across the pond, as they say:
  • Pinnegar George David Festivus, born 22 Sep 1991 - (London, England, Births and Christening Notices from The Times, 1983-2003) on Ancestry.
Influenced by the Seinfeld episode? Or a family name?  Let's look back a bit more:
  • Arthur Festivus Padfield who sadly was born and died in the same month, September 1870, in Cardiff, Wales (England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915) on Ancestry.
  • Sidney Festivus Cob Hancock, born abt 1869 and died 13 Mar 1933 in Saint James Parish, Enfield, Middlesex (London, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1980) on Ancestry.
Not much really.  Hmmmm.  I had my hopes up for a Festivus miracle but such hopes are dashed.  Now I must prepare my list of grievances and practice my feats of strength.

© 2009, copyright Thomas MacEntee

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