On Monday, July 1, 1996 at 1:00:00 AM UTC-6, Tom Camfield wrote:

I have an ancestor identified as "Nancy" Beal, who in 1822 married Ziba Camfield in Norfolk Co., Ontario. But she also is found referred to as "Mary."

I recently came across an elaborate ancestral chart (generally preceding my ancestor's birth in 1802) for the Beals. Considering association with the same area of Ontario, this chart probably applies to my ancestor. It is
rife with Mary Beals, but nary a Nancy.

Does anyone know if "Nancy" ever was commonly used as a nickname for Mary?

--
Tom Camfield - camfield@olympus.net

A common name is Anna Mae, anna May, or Anna Marie. An nickname for Ann or Anna is Nancy. A nickname for Mae or Marie is Mary. Therefore a female name Anna Mae for example could go by the nickname for Anna (Nancy) or the Nickmame for Marie (Mary). It
is as if Anna Mae means "Nancy Mary", so the answer is Yes. A female named Nancy could go by Mary and visa versa.

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