READ, REID or READ BROWN or even BROWN REID (General)

by Matt, Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 21:03 (5614 days ago)

I am researching the READ family from Ruardean and more spcifically from Newham Bottom near Ruardean Woodside. I have looked at various posts on this web site and am intrigued by the fact that this family has used a number of variations in its surname (see above). I understand that the variations stem from the marriage of George READ and Ann BROWN (I don't know when they were married), but can anyone shed any light on why this family used these variations ? Was it simply to identify different branches of the family in a small community or were there other reasons?