English, possibly derived from Elizabeth or from Lilias. However, since it was not used as a given name until the 19th century it seems more probable that Lily is derived from the flower of that name, the early Christian symbol for "purity".
This spelling is rare in the 1841 Census of Aberdeenshire where it is greatly outnumbered by Lilly.
A correspondent [JS4] had an ancestor born in Connecticut, USA, registered with the forename Lillie but always known as Elizabeth. The reason was that the birth of a child had to registered within a short time but the name wasn’t chosen until the baptism. It was the habit in Irish communities to use the generic name Lillie for formal registration and thereafter only to use the baptismal name. Thus the occurrence of the name Lillie (or Lily) on a registration certificate should be treated with caution, in the US at least.
Another correspondent [MS] has noted the use of Lily as a pet name for an ancestor called Catherine in County Cork, Ireland. The reason in this case may have been to avoid confusion with another married-in member of the family. However it appears that the use of Lily or Lillie in Irish communities can have special meaning thus causing confusion in genealogical research. |
