Scottish. An abbreviation or pet name for Isobel/Isabel occurring significantly frequently in the 1841 Census of Aberdeenshire. There is one case in the 1851 Census of Rathen where Isabella has been recorded as "Isa Bella"; this may be an obvious alteration but it indicates the care needed when searching records for "composite names", or ones that can be so construed.
A correspondent [VW] records a relative called Isabella who preferred to be known as Iza - a phoenetic spelling of this diminutive. |
