REED-L Archives

Archiver > REED > 2001-03 > 0983579710


From: Freda Hart <>
Subject: Re: [REED-L] Fw: Mary or Polly
Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2001 18:35:10 -0600
References: <20010302.185021.-137581.0.BAPACE2@juno.com>


On the same note, does anyone know how Margaret became Peggy?
Thanks and God bless,
Freda

Betty A. Pace wrote:

> For those of you who may have these troublesome Pollys (Marys).
> Betty Pace
>
> --------- Forwarded message ----------
> From:
> To:
> Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 07:56:14 EST
> Subject: [RowanRoots] Mary Polly
> Message-ID: <>
>
> Hi List,
> While I am no expert to be sure, years ago I was given the explanation
> that
> being nicknamed Polly was due to the fact that one's mother or
> mother-in-law
> also had the same given name, and until the elder Mary ( or whomever )
> was
> deceased, the younger lady was known as "Polly" to distinguish between
> the
> two. In one of my families, the mother Mary had 2 sons who married Marys.
> The
> elder son's wife became Polly and the younger's spouse became Pollie in
> all
> documents I have found.
>
> This proved true in many of my lines, especially with the name Mary. (
> Probably the reason so many women were named Mary, was the favored
> Biblical
> name of Jesus' mother, Mary.)
>
> I do not remember where I first learned of that. I do not know if it is
> true,
> but you may want to look at the names of the mothers and mothers-in-law,
> even
> a favored Aunt being the same given name for clues.
>
> If anyone else has an explanation, I would love to see it. The use of
> Polly
> for Mary seems to go back hundreds of years and in different locales for
> people of different ethnic backgrounds.
>
> Carolyn in NC
>
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