John Carfrae and Helen Walker

[Shona]

From daughter Helen's baptism in July 1779 in Edinburgh.

'John Carfrae, chaise driver, and Helen Walker his spouse, New Grey Friars parish, a daughter born 29th current named Helen baptised in church 31st.'

I've identified two other children born to John Carfrae and Helen Walker:
1 William Carfrae, born in Edinburgh 18 December 1775.
2 John Carfrae, baptised in Edinburgh, 7 November 1777.

The family moved to Inverkeithing, Fife, at some point.

Variant spelling of Carfrae: Guthrie.

[ElizabethHerts]

Originally Posted by Shona

Variant spelling of Carfrae: Guthrie.

The Scottish alternative spellings leave my head in a spin!
Especially when I learnt that Catto could become Catternach.

[Shona]

It's not just the surnames that change, so do the first names. Here's some I've come across:

Agnes/Nancy - Interchangeable
Ailean - Alan
Aindrea(s) - Andrew
Andra - Andrew
Angus - Can be a female name
Aodh - Hugh
Arailt - Harold
Baby - Barbara
Beasag - Betsy/Betty/Bessie
Beitidh - Betty
Bride - Bridget
Caitir - Catherine
Cathal/Catal - Charles
Ciorstaidh/Crusty - Christine
Christian - Christine
Crisdean - Christopher
Daniel/Donald - Interchangeable
Dod - George
Duncan - Can be a female name
Eachann - Hector
Eck - Alex(ander)
Effy/Euffen - Euphemia
Eion - John
Ellen - Can appear as Helen or Nelly
Ever - Edward
Fionn - Not William Hague’s wife, but a male name. Changes to Fingal or Fingan
Finuel - Florence/Flora
Friseal - Not to be confused with Griseal. Friseal changes to Fraser
Giles - Julia
Gill-easbuig - Archibald
Gille-bridhe - Gilbert
Gille-calum - Malcolm
Gorsal - Grace
Grizel/Girsel - Grace
Hamish - James
Helen - Can appear as Ellen or Nelly
Ian/Ian - John
Ina - Suffix added to a male name to feminise it – Hughina, Jamesina, etc
Iver - Edward
Jane/Janet/Jean/ Jess/Jessie - Interchangeable
Lillias - Lily
Mata - Looks female, but it’s a Gaelic name that became Matthew
Mirren - Marion
Mor/More - Sarah
Moire/Muire - Mary
Muireach - Murdoch
Nicolas - Can be a female name, especially in the Lowlands
Seoc/Seocan - Jock
Seoras - George
Sile/Sileas - Julia/Judith
Tearlach - Charles
Tearlag - Charlotte
Tormond - Norman
Uilleam - William

[kiterunner]

FamilySearch has a James Cafrae born 20 Jul 1782 Edinburgh parish, parents John Cafrae and Helen Walker. Cafrae doesn't seem to come up as a variant of Carfrae on there; it only came up when I searched without the surname!

[kiterunner]

The Edinburgh Canongate Marriage Register gives Carthrae / Carthrea as another variant. And I guess Cathree and Carthree would belong with these.

[kiterunner]

The Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses has this information before the Carfrae entries:

A not very common surname of local origin, either from the lands of Carfrae in the parish of Garvald-Barra, East Lothian, or from the lands of Carfrae in Berwickshire. The name does not occur in any of the old charters or public records. An early record is "Thomas Carfrae in Wyntoune frater (brother) german of quondam John Carfrae in Edmeistoune is recorded in 1635..."

[Shona]

Thanks for those other variants, Kite - it's opened up some new research possibilities. I've now found variants of the name using ph rather than f - Carphrae and Caphrae

Interesting point about those early records in East Lothian.

I'd always assumed the family were Fife-based until fairly recently when I pushed back and found the Edinburgh connection.

As I had thought they were a Fife family, I've got some old notes about Carfrae births in Fife back to the 1630s and 1640s. As the name isn't common, I wonder if the Fife Carfraes popped across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh and then later on moved back to Fife.

[kiterunner]

Do any of the baptisms of John and Helen's children give the names of witnesses, Shona?

[Shona]

I've only viewed Helen's baptism record on Scotland's People. There are no witnesses named. Looking at the rest of the entries, this appears to be the norm.

[kiterunner]

Scotland's People has a Testament Dative of a William Carfrae, wright in Edinburgh, 7 Oct 1784, who could possibly be John's father if William born 1775 is John's eldest son and named after John's father, but it's rather a long shot!