Common Surnames

[Old_Geezer]

Hi. Thought I'd try my luck here at a couple of genealogy questions in case anyone can help.

First off I have a request for general hints & tips & suchlike for when one's investigation suddenly finds an individual with a fairly common surname. It happened to me and suddenly that part of the tree ground to a halt. Apologies to those who have a common surname but you may well be the folk who have the best advice ?

Also, although it is a long shot, I thought I'd give specific details of where I'm stuck to see if anyone recognises or finds anything.

It concerns my one of my great grandmothers, Eliza Ellen Davies ~1866-1926. I know she married George Frederick Devey in 1886 because I have the certificate, and it is from the marriage certificate, and the stated age of Eliza on that, that I believe she was born around 1866.

But looking for a particular Davies in mid-Wales has proved difficult.

I did find in the 1871 Wales census a reference to a family that includes an Eliza Davies, but it is just faith that allows me to think this is the same individual.

And a while ago I spend a fair amount of money with the GRO having sent them a long list of possible Eliza Ellen Davies births, but the certificate they returned as being most likely didn't "feel" right at all. Eliza's second name was not even shown.

Any ideas of how to progress from there ?

Thanks

[Old_Geezer]

Hi Annie thanks for the suggestion. I guess it could well be so, it just seems strange to me.

Regarding dying early, well I don't presently have access to the 1911 census (as far as I am aware) but from earlier searches of the BMD databases I had thought I'd found Henry E dying in Oct/Nov/Dec 1891, and Henry F dying in Jan/Feb/Mar 1906, but if both are alive and living with their parents in 1911, I have something wrong somewhere, I'm just not sure what :-)

[Old_Geezer]

That was quick ! After only 4 minutes the dodgy replies are deleted and I've no idea what was said. Probably just as well then.