What's in a Name

Sometimes I think that I am living a lie because I wonder who I really am. What I mean is that my last name, the last name of my Father and the last name of my Grandfather may not have really been Cox.

It all began back in 1888 when my Grandfather, Roda H. Cox Sr. was born to my Great Grandmother Corine Cox who at the time was unmarried. Because of that, the identity of my Grandfather's biological Father is not known and his last name could have been anything. In that case, my last name could have been Smith or Jones or anything else. Oh I know that it is possible that my Grandfather's biological father could also have been Cox, but I believe that it is unlikely and I believe that she just gave him the last name of Cox because that was her unmarried last name.

So who am I really? Does it really make any difference? After all, what's in a name?

Well for me it's very important, because I believe I have a right to know what my last name could have, or should have been and where my bloodline through my Father and Grandfather really originated from.

One example that should be considered is, if my last name could have been Smith instead of Cox and I married a girl with the last name of Smith, we might very well be related. We could be cousins or even brother and sister without knowing it. This could be a problem.

At the time I began to research the genealogy of my family I came across this dilemma that I was faced with, about who my Grandfather's biological Father was and those who might have had the answer to it had already passed away.

It is my opinion that a person should be known by the legitimate last name of their biological father, instead of using a name that was convenient for them to be associated with. It is also my opinion that a woman should maintain their last name, instead of assuming the last name of their husband, if only for the reason of maintaining their true identity and not losing it because of marriage.

I have found it to be very difficult while tracing the genealogy of a woman because of the last name change, but does not hold true for a certain man.

For myself, the real last name of a person is important and valuable and should be maintained for their true identity and not be lost due to a marriage, a divorce or because of a birth out of wedlock, or for any other reason.