Surname Changes

[Naddison]

My great grandfather's name was Edwin Addison born 1880 in Shropshire. His Father is listed as Edwin Addison and the mother as Helen Radcliffe.I can find no birth, marriage or death for Edwin and Helen. The 1881 census shows an Edward and Ellen Addison as the parents of Edwin which then match with Known facts up to 1901 census and death records for both.
Prior to 1881 I can find no records for Edward and Ellen which match known birth years and birth places. Strangely enough there are records of an Edward Harrison and an Ellen Ratcliffe which match, even up to there marriage in 1878 but then these two seem to disappear and I cannot find any records of these two past there marriage.Could it be possible for them to have changed surnames?

 

[somerstown]

Have you tried FreeBMD?
http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

I found a couple of possible births for Edwin there, but if you do a search it is worth ticking the phonetic surname box.

 

[Naddison]

Yes I have tried that site. They were born in the Shropshire area(known family history). Just can't understand why the birth places and years match but surnames don't.

 

[TwiceAsNice]

Having had a look at the names you've given, I can see the marriage entry for Edward Harrison and Ellen Ratcliffe but certainly nothing for an Edwin Addison and Helen Radcliffe. I was wondering if you've obtained that marriage certificate, to confirm one way or another? It occurred to me that Edward's surname could have been transcribed incorrectly. If he has a middle name beginning with H it's just feasible that Edward H Addison could become Edward Harrison. I can follow Edward and Ellen right through until 1901. In 1911 I see that Edward is living with his daughter Nellie at 3 Naird Lane, Priors Lee, Shifnal. It says that Edward is married but there's no sign of Ellen. He is down as having been married for 33 years, having had 7 children, 4 of whom have died.

Good luck with sorting it all out!