New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesUsage of the name Liza in Britain
I'm writing a novel over the summer (my goal for summer break is to write a story of at least 50,000 words) and one character is named Liza Polwell. She's a lowerclass English girl who lives in the 1800s.
Is this acceptable usage of the name Liza, or was it considered upperclass at that time? And is Polwell a real surname, or has it come from the far corners of my mind? It'll be a story mainly for children and teens, so I don't think there will be a lot of complaining about accuracy, but I hate it when I'm not using correct nomenclature, since it bothers me when other authors don't.
Any help that someone could offer would be very much appreciated. Thanks!
Array
Is this acceptable usage of the name Liza, or was it considered upperclass at that time? And is Polwell a real surname, or has it come from the far corners of my mind? It'll be a story mainly for children and teens, so I don't think there will be a lot of complaining about accuracy, but I hate it when I'm not using correct nomenclature, since it bothers me when other authors don't.
Any help that someone could offer would be very much appreciated. Thanks!
Array
1
Replies
Depends on when in that 100-year span you've set your story. Eliza was the preferred name in England, still is. Liza, Liz, Lizzie, etc. were and are used as nicknames for given name Elizabeth and in the 1800's that would have been the Baptismal name. Eliza, like Abigail, did take a class dip and in the mid-to-late 1800's both would have been distinctly lower-class. They've now happily recovered to UK yuppie status.
Polwell here in England would be some mush of nonsense or some Powell family trying to get above themselves. That's not to say it doesn't occur, simply that it's an obscure and odd surname for the British population. I would put forth some of the brilliant surnames from placenames here like Poling/Polling, Pollicott, Pollington, Poltamore or if you'd like to give her some Cornish flair, Polperro, Polruan or Polyphant. English humour is never more apparent than in her placenames...Polyphant may look like elephant but it means 'toad's pool' ;o)
Polwell here in England would be some mush of nonsense or some Powell family trying to get above themselves. That's not to say it doesn't occur, simply that it's an obscure and odd surname for the British population. I would put forth some of the brilliant surnames from placenames here like Poling/Polling, Pollicott, Pollington, Poltamore or if you'd like to give her some Cornish flair, Polperro, Polruan or Polyphant. English humour is never more apparent than in her placenames...Polyphant may look like elephant but it means 'toad's pool' ;o)
1
Thanks a lot! This is quite helpful. Actually, I didn't know when I was going to set the story, so I planned on basing it around the time that her name would have been considered lowerclass, but I was thinking mid-to-late, so this is realy good.
As for her surname, it's definitely going to be changed, then. I'm digging Pollicott, or perhaps it'll just be Powell...I'll have to think on this.
Once again, thank you very much!
Array
As for her surname, it's definitely going to be changed, then. I'm digging Pollicott, or perhaps it'll just be Powell...I'll have to think on this.
Once again, thank you very much!
Array
1
When she said England I assumed a narrow focus and divided Great Britain into it's parts, not including the Gaelic-based patterns of Scotland, Ireland or Wales but only England proper. So parts of Scottish Edinburgh were neither here nor there in my answer. If she wanted to expand her story into Scotland I could see it. But in those days it's not likely that a Scottish girl would have to come all the way to England just to work as a maid. Most were snapped up by the locals at the nearest market town.
I'm not sure about the quality of resource on historical naming available on the net. I live in London so access to the Office of Records and publications from our statistics offices is easy for me. You could certainly try a google of 'Eliza, England, 1800' and see what came up. Sorry I can't help there!
Devon
I'm not sure about the quality of resource on historical naming available on the net. I live in London so access to the Office of Records and publications from our statistics offices is easy for me. You could certainly try a google of 'Eliza, England, 1800' and see what came up. Sorry I can't help there!
Devon
1