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ArchivesRe: Attn Cleveland Kent Evans re: Alifair/Alafair
in reply to a message by Cleveland Kent Evans
I think you can rule out a Welsh origin. That particular Lee family were travelling Romnichal - British Romanies, who have a tradition of highly unusual names. I also found an Alefare Smith married in Hackney in 1849, and Smith is another common Romany surname in the UK. So there's another possible origin.
edit: and an Alifear Byford who's also from a Romany family - and an Alafear Wright b. 1839: can't confirm her being Romany, but there are definitely Romany Wrights (there was a fairly well-known Romany maker of wagons/vardos called Wright). Of course this may have nothing to do with the US names, but it's looking like a good possibility.
Wild guess, from what I know of British Romany names - could have originally been a corruption of Alethea.
edit #2: Another possible origin for the US names might be a former Native American tribe from the Florida region, the Alafaes (also Alafay, Alafaia, Elafay, Costa, Alafaia/Alafaya/Alafeyes Costas) - those variations look closer to the OP's set.
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_tribes_in_Florida)
edit: and an Alifear Byford who's also from a Romany family - and an Alafear Wright b. 1839: can't confirm her being Romany, but there are definitely Romany Wrights (there was a fairly well-known Romany maker of wagons/vardos called Wright). Of course this may have nothing to do with the US names, but it's looking like a good possibility.
Wild guess, from what I know of British Romany names - could have originally been a corruption of Alethea.
edit #2: Another possible origin for the US names might be a former Native American tribe from the Florida region, the Alafaes (also Alafay, Alafaia, Elafay, Costa, Alafaia/Alafaya/Alafeyes Costas) - those variations look closer to the OP's set.
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_tribes_in_Florida)
This message was edited 9/16/2009, 4:29 PM
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