Know your onions

[Bob Spiers]

Intent on exploring some offshoot lines on my maternal (Adams) side, I came across the spouse named Angelina and sought to find her maiden name. I duly found it and it was Angelina Onions. That did not over worry me even if it did make my eyes water (sorry). My first thought was I bet she's glad to become an Adams.

However I had to take issue with an Ancestry Researcher with whom I communicated who told me the name is likely to have been pronounced 'On-ay-ons' or perhaps 'On-hi-ons'(Reminds me of Mrs Bucket (Bouquet)). I disagreed, no reason just thought it was plain, common or garden (particularly the latter) ONIONS.

So let me throw it open as I have no proof either way, was in Onions or On-ay(hi)-ons? What does anyone else think?

We are talking the around the 1860's in the Midlands, Warwickshire/Staffordshire and her husband was a Jewellery Repairer likely in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.

 

[Margery]

Well at least the other researcher didn't suggest that it be pronounced "O'Nions".

 

[Heather]

So let me throw it open as I have no proof either way, was in Onions or On-ay(hi)-ons? What does anyone else think?

Well Bob, like you I would pronounce it as the vegetable onions, that is unless there is an Irish connection, then it could be O'nions.

 

[Liberty]

I think I have come across this. There was a writer called Oliver Onions and I just presumed it was pronounced as spelt, then I heard him being discussed on the radio and hardly recognised him. I belive he is generally pronounced 'oh-NY-ons', although, to muddy the waters, and add some Hyacinth Bucket, his family pronounced it like the vegetable. Not sure if it was Oliver or his publisher/agent who went for the change. Actually to wander ever further from the thread, I believe he was actually George Oliver Onions, and legally changed his name to George Oliver, but continued to write as Oliver Onions.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I think I have come across this. There was a writer called Oliver Onions and I just presumed it was pronounced as spelt, then I heard him being discussed on the radio and hardly recognised him. I belive he is generally pronounced 'oh-NY-ons', although, to muddy the waters, and add some Hyacinth Bucket, his family pronounced it like the vegetable. Not sure if it was Oliver or his publisher/agent who went for the change. Actually to wander ever further from the thread, I believe he was actually George Oliver Onions, and legally changed his name to George Oliver, but continued to write as Oliver Onions.

Most interesting Liberty and about on par with what the other researcher was trying to tell me. I think she (for it was a lady) was going on some hand-me-down information for what it was worth. I still think the vegetable pronunciation wins the day as with Oliver's family. Good for them.

 

[TimE]

My grandmother's surname was Onions. The name was always pronounced like the vegetable by all the family. She was born in Shropshire where there seem to have been a lot of Onions

 

[Britjan]

Sorry Bob and TimE, I am waiting for it to stop rain-n-ning before venturing out and idly surfing the forum. I can't resist remarking that I wouldn't have thought there was "shallot" of variation of pronunciation of names in the Amaryllidaceae family.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Sorry Bob and TimE, I am waiting for it to stop rain-n-ning before venturing out and idly surfing the forum. I can't resist remarking that I wouldn't have thought there was "shallot" of variation of pronunciation of names in the Amaryllidaceae family.

After that let's hope the sun shines