Preface

The First Edition of this book was issued in the year 1890 with the object of assisting Registration Officers and the Public searching the Indexes of Births, Deaths, and Marriages by collating the varieties in the form and spelling of names usually met with, and also those names differing altogether in form, which had been ascertained to be used interchangeably.

A careful note has been made during the decade of cases where additional varieties or peculiarities in Surnames and Christian names have come under notice in this Office, or have been reported by local Officers.

In view of the revision of the Work, I addressed a special circular to the Superintendent Registrars and Registrars asking for information as to the nomenclature in their respective Districts, and I now beg to thank those Officers who have so kindly responded to my request, and in many cases furnished additional information of interest and value.

In the preparation of this Edition I have been cordially assisted by Mr. William A. Squires, Superintendent of Records, to whom my best thanks are due.

Robert E. Matheson,

Registrar-General,

General Register Office,

Charlemont House, Dublin,

March, 1901.