List of Persons Whose Names Have Been Changed in Massachusetts 1780-1892
Collated and Published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth under Authority of Chapter 191 of the Acts of the Year 1893. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1972.
The original compilation begins in 1780, but this listing is from 1845 to 1892. This is a transcription of those individuals whose original name and/or decreed
name appear to be Irish. An asterisk (*) after a name indicates a change due to an
adoption, although this does not appear to have been used consistently in the earlier years.
Bristol County
Year
|
Date of
Decree
|
Original
Name
|
Adop
|
Decreed
Name
|
Residence
|
1853
|
-----
|
Cornelius Mahoney
|
|
Cornelius Allen White
|
Raynham
|
1855
|
Jan 5
|
Michael Mulliken
|
|
Thomas Edward Mulliken
White
|
New Bedford
|
1860
|
Dec 4
|
Sarah McGurk
|
|
Sarah McGurk Reed
|
-----
|
1861
|
Dec 3
|
Nellie Frances Trafton
Collins
|
|
Nellie Frances Trafton
Tripp
|
-----
|
1862
|
Sept 5
|
Hattie Farrell
|
|
Mary Elizabeth Newcomb
|
Taunton
|
1863
|
Nov 6
|
Mary Ellen McKim
|
|
Nellie Delano
|
New Bedford
|
1865
|
Feb 17
|
Nellie Josephine Hill
|
*
|
Nellie Josephine Craig
|
late Foxborough; now Attleborough
|
1865
|
Dec 1
|
Mary Elizabeth Duncan
|
*
|
Eliza Frances Kerrigan
|
late Boston; now Taunton
|
1867
|
Dec 6
|
William Downey
|
|
Aloysius Rooney
|
Taunton
|
1868
|
Apr 3
|
Josephine Fitspatrick
|
|
Josephine Fitspatrick
Porter
|
Fall River
|
1868
|
Sept 16
|
Elisa Emma Morriss
|
|
Elisa Emma Gent
|
Taunton
|
1868
|
Nov 6
|
Jane H.N. Burk
|
|
Jane H. Newhall
|
Berkley
|
1870
|
May 6
|
Joseph C. Valdans
|
|
William C. Murray
|
New Bedford
|
1871
|
June 2
|
James Michael Kinary
|
|
James Michael Noonan
|
Taunton
|
1871
|
July 14
|
William Waring
|
|
William J. Waring
|
Fall River
|
1871
|
Nov 17
|
Robert W. McBurney
|
|
Robert Chaffin Randall
|
Easton
|
1872
|
Sept 6
|
Hannah Reagan
|
|
Hannah R. O'Neil
|
Fall River
|
1873
|
Jan 3
|
Catherine Klure
|
|
Catherine Dempsey
|
Fall River
|
1873
|
Jan 3
|
John Mullaney
|
|
John Shaugnessy
|
Fall River
|
1873
|
Jan 3
|
Mary E. Mullaney
|
|
Esther Tyrell
|
Fall River
|
1873
|
Feb 7
|
John McCarty
|
|
John Carter Emery
|
New Bedford
|
1874
|
Nov 6
|
Nameless
|
|
Mabel Frances Gurney
|
Fairhaven
|
1875
|
Sept 3
|
Margaret Boland
|
|
Margaret Galligan
|
Norton
|
1875
|
Dec 17
|
Anna Mildred Hall
|
|
Millie Kennedy
|
Easton
|
1876
|
Apr 7
|
Mary Anne Hasey
|
|
Mary Anne Duffy
|
Fall River
|
1876
|
Apr 7
|
Teresa Hasey
|
|
Teresa Duffy
|
Fall River
|
1877
|
Feb 2
|
William Mitchell
|
|
William Mitchell Briggs
|
Fall River
|
1877
|
Apr 20
|
Jennie Geagan alias
Galligan
|
|
Ella Jane Mattison
|
Fall River
|
1877
|
May 25
|
Mary Ann McIntyre
|
|
Cornelia Swift Aiken
|
Westport
|
1877
|
June 15
|
Sarah Maria Walker
|
|
Sarah Maria Cooley
|
Taunton
|
1877
|
Nov 23
|
Margaret Ann McKenzie
|
|
Margaret Ann McPhee
|
Attleboro
|
1878
|
May 3
|
Annie Bismore
|
|
Annie Bismore Barrett
|
Dartmouth
|
1878
|
May 3
|
Isabel Swain Bismore
|
|
Isabel Swain Barrett
|
Dartmouth
|
1878
|
Dec 6
|
Mary Ellen Sullivan
|
|
Mary Ellen Cavanaugh
|
Fall River
|
1879
|
Jan 10
|
Alice Mabel Murphy
|
*
|
Alice Mabel Gibbs
|
Easton
|
1879
|
Feb 14
|
John Francis Healey
|
*
|
John Francis Donahoe
|
Fall River
|
1879
|
June 6
|
-----
|
|
Mary Dugan
|
Fall River
|
1880
|
Feb 6
|
Nellie Fits
|
|
Winnifred Louise Harding
|
Boston
|
1880
|
Feb 6
|
Mary Ann Grady
|
|
Mary Ann Carrot
|
Fall River
|
1881
|
Nov 4
|
Louisa Harrington
|
*
|
Louisa Maria Taylor
|
Fall River
|
1882
|
May 5
|
Elmer E. Dunn
|
|
Elmer E. Simmons
|
Fairhaven
|
1882
|
May 19
|
Mary O'Donnell
|
|
Mary Murphy
|
Fall River
|
1882
|
June 2
|
Agnes Carney
|
*
|
Name unchanged
|
Fall River
|
1882
|
Aug 4
|
Mary Elisabeth Carroll
|
|
Anne Hallam
|
Fall River
|
1882
|
Aug 4
|
Mary J. Kelley
|
|
Mary J. Murphy
|
Fall River
|
1883
|
Jan 5
|
Nellie B. Owens
|
|
Nellie B. Chaffee
|
Providence RI
|
1883
|
Jan 19
|
Sadie Lawton Haigh
|
|
Sadie Lawton Fisher
|
Taunton
|
1883
|
July 6
|
Margaret Elizabeth
McCafferty
|
|
Margaret Elizabeth Cote
|
Fall River
|
1883
|
July 6
|
Catherine W. Burns
|
|
Catherine W. McGuire
|
Fall River
|
1883
|
Oct 10
|
William Jackson
|
|
William James Daily
|
Mansfield
|
1883
|
Nov 16
|
Jeremiah Doyle
|
|
Jeremiah Harrington
|
Fall River
|
1884
|
Apr 4
|
Mary E. Cumiskey
|
*
|
Mary E. McKenzie
|
Westport
|
1884
|
May 16
|
James Burns
|
|
James Smith
|
Fall River
|
1884
|
Oct 3
|
Mabel E. McGann
|
*
|
Pauline Mathilda Hansen
|
Woonsocket
|
1884
|
Oct 17
|
Emma M. Burns
|
*
|
Emma M. Haskins
|
Taunton
|
1885
|
Apr 3
|
Cornelius Cronin
|
*
|
Francis Cornelius Hourahan
|
Taunton
|
1885
|
July 3
|
Ellen Dufficy
|
*
|
Ellen Coughlin
|
New Bedford
|
1885
|
Dec 18
|
Alice Oliva Kenney
|
*
|
Alice Oliva Robbins
|
Brewster
|
1886
|
Feb 5
|
Annie E. Smith
|
*
|
Annie Elizabeth Sanford
|
New Bedford
|
1886
|
July 2
|
Edward North
|
*
|
Edward Buckley
|
Fall River
|
1887
|
Jan 7
|
----- Kelley
|
*
|
Benjamin O. Nickerson
|
Fall River
|
1887
|
Feb 4
|
Margaret C. Barlow
|
*
|
Margaret C. Donnelley
|
Fall River
|
1887
|
Feb 4
|
Robert Pollard
|
*
|
Robert Buckley
|
Fall River
|
1887
|
Feb 18
|
Lillian Kelley
|
*
|
Lillian Darcy
|
Fall River
|
1887
|
Apr 1
|
Agnes Adelaide Hampson
|
*
|
Agnes Adelaide Fay
|
Fall River
|
1887
|
Apr 1
|
Nellie M. Towle
|
*
|
Nellie M. Fuller
|
New Bedford
|
1887
|
Apr 1
|
Johanna Jarvis
|
*
|
Johanna McCormick
|
Fall River
|
1887
|
Aug 5
|
Mary Alice McCarthy
|
*
|
Mary Alice Devine
|
New Bedford
|
1887
|
Nov 18
|
Rita P. Nooning
|
*
|
Rita P. Tripp
|
Fall River
|
1888
|
Feb 17
|
Agnes Delaney
|
*
|
Agnes Peckham
|
Fall River
|
1888
|
May 18
|
Patrick Maney
|
*
|
Patrick Judd
|
Fall River
|
1889
|
Apr 5
|
Marie D. Gannon
|
*
|
Marie D. Payson
|
Norton
|
1889
|
May 3
|
John Craig
|
*
|
John Craig Gardner
|
Swansea
|
1889
|
May 3
|
William Henry McCormack
|
*
|
John William Brown
|
Fall River
|
1889
|
July 5
|
Mary Hogan
|
|
Mary Sutcliffe
|
Fall River
|
1889
|
Nov 1
|
Annie J. Sullivan
|
*
|
Marie Annette Parsons
|
New Bedford
|
1890
|
Apr 4
|
Lawrence Leach
|
|
Lawrence Leach Holden
|
Fall River
|
1890
|
Aug 1
|
Sarah A. Allen
|
*
|
Sarah Ann Delaney
|
New Bedford
|
1890
|
Oct 3
|
Agnes Frances Magowan
|
*
|
Agnes Church Fox
|
New Bedford
|
1891
|
Jan 2
|
Jeremiah Harrington
|
*
|
James Harrington Doyle
|
Fall River
|
1891
|
May 1
|
Elizabeth Defley
|
*
|
Elizabeth Lavelle
|
Fall River
|
1891
|
July 3
|
Nellie Golding
|
*
|
Nellie Shea
|
Fall River
|
1891
|
Aug 7
|
Ida May Gorman
|
*
|
Ida May Harvey
|
Taunton
|
1892
|
Mar 4
|
Francis Dowd
|
*
|
Francis Dowd Mannion
|
New Bedford
|
1892
|
Dec 2
|
Mary A. Connelly
|
*
|
Hester Crawford Wade
|
Easton
|
Plymouth County
| Year |
Date of Decree |
Original Name |
Adop |
Decreed Name |
Residence |
| 1848 |
May 10 |
Sarah Kinney |
|
Sarah Dunham |
Rochester |
| 1852 |
May 4 |
Patrick Murray |
|
James Murray |
E. Bridgewater |
| 1854 |
Mar 7 |
William Henry McCarthey |
|
William Henry Harrison |
Hingham |
| 1855 |
Feb 27 |
Betsey Maria Pittsley |
* |
Betsey Maria Cahoon |
Wareham |
| 1857 |
Jan 12 |
Josephine Corbett |
* |
Flora Webster Chamberlain |
Abington |
| 1862 |
Apr 1 |
Julia A. Moore |
|
Julia A. Sylvester |
Hanover |
| 1863 |
July 13 |
Lizzie F. Griffith |
* |
Florence W. Harris |
Wareham |
| 1867 |
Jan 28 |
Eliza Roach |
* |
Eliza Jane Rowe |
N. Bridgewater |
| 1868 |
Jan 27 |
Patrick Kily |
|
Alvin Andrew Kily |
Hanson |
| 1869 |
June 28 |
Patrick Casey |
|
Henry Casey |
E. Bridgewater |
| 1870 |
Jan 10 |
Alice Isabel Boyd |
* |
Carrie Elizabeth Barrell |
Abington |
| 1870 |
Apr 11 |
Elizabeth Frances Hayden |
* |
Elizabeth Frances Clark |
E. Bridgewater |
| 1872 |
Jan 22 |
Annie McDonald |
* |
Anne Conry |
Abington |
| 1872 |
Apr 8 |
Mary Elizabeth Haley |
* |
Mary Elizabeth Thompson |
Marshfield |
| 1874 |
May 25 |
Zina Cochran |
* |
Zina Cannaway |
Rockland |
| 1875 |
June 14 |
Francis Harrington |
* |
Francis Keough |
Brockton |
| 1875 |
Nov 8 |
Edward J. Maloy |
* |
Edward M. Thomas |
Middleboro |
| 1876 |
Jan 24 |
Mary Gunn |
* |
Mary McMinamy |
Brockton |
| 1877 |
Jan 8 |
Mary I. Costello |
* |
Mary Isabella Clifford |
Kingston |
| 1878 |
Jan 14 |
Joanna O'Donnell |
* |
Isabel Maria Damon |
Scituate |
| 1878 |
May 13 |
John F. Callahan |
* |
Edgar S. Hills |
Scituate |
| 1878 |
May 13 |
Jeremiah Sullivan |
|
Walter Pierce |
Hanover |
| 1880 |
Feb 9 |
Elizabeth Marr |
* |
Lizzie Adams Brown |
Abington |
| 1881 |
May 9 |
Mary Jane Ferguson |
* |
Mary Jane Leddy |
S. Abington |
| 1882 |
Feb 13 |
George E. Dempsey |
* |
George E.D. Eschemback |
Brockton |
| 1883 |
July 9 |
Nellie Rose Reagan |
* |
Nellie Rose Porter |
Brockton |
| 1883 |
July 9 |
Helen F. Blake |
|
Helen F. Stetson |
Bridgewater |
| 1886 |
July 12 |
Mabel Frances Reed |
* |
Mabel Frances Sullivan |
Abington |
| 1886 |
Aug 23 |
Charles Francis Snook |
* |
Charles Francis Kehoe |
Abington |
| 1886 |
Sept 13 |
Fred Dearney |
* |
Fred Herbert Blake |
Hingham |
| 1887 |
June 13 |
Ellen Maria Callahan |
* |
Ellen Maria Giles |
Whitman |
| 1887 |
Oct 10 |
Margaret Harley |
* |
Theodora Clare White |
Middleboro |
| 1887 |
Dec 12 |
Mary McLauthlin |
* |
Edith Mae Robinson |
Brockton |
| 1888 |
Mar 12 |
William Doherty |
* |
William Hartin |
Plympton |
| 1888 |
Apr 9 |
John Keen |
* |
John Melvin Thorne |
Brockton |
| 1888 |
May 28 |
Charles McKuin |
* |
Charles K. Hoxie |
Mattapoisett |
| 1888 |
Oct 22 |
Elsie Fox |
* |
Elsie Fox Sampson |
Lakeville |
| 1889 |
Sept 23 |
Edward B. McInness |
|
Sylvanus E. Ross |
Rochester |
| 1889 |
Nov 11 |
(no name given) |
|
Mary Annie Magoun |
Marshfield |
| 1890 |
Jan 13 |
Rowena F. Barry |
|
Rowena Fobes |
Chelsea |
| 1890 |
Apr 14 |
Mabel Haven |
|
Mabel Haven McElroy |
Hanson |
| 1890 |
July 14 |
Grace Caroline McCue |
|
Grace Caroline Goodwin |
Weymouth |
| 1891 |
Mar 9 |
Alice Caroline Damon |
* |
Alice Caroline McKenney |
Abington |
| 1891 |
Mar 9 |
George Henry Downey |
|
George Henry Downing |
Hingham |
| 1891 |
May 25 |
Rose McCloskey |
* |
Rose Ellen Conroy |
Whitman |
| 1891 |
Sept 28 |
Hugh McCloskey |
* |
Hugh Churchill McAdams |
W. Bridgewater |
| 1892 |
Mar 28 |
Franklin Cahoon |
|
John Franklin Ryder |
Wareham |
|
Irish 