Particularly interested in Hanning family and their relatives. Early gravestones sometimes refer to them as Haning, Haining or Hainning. Some Old Parish Records have another variation namely Heinnan or Hennin, but over 3 or 4 generations Hanning has prevailed.

The family of Alexander Haining b. c1825 d. 1908 is a good example of how the spelling transitioned from "Haining" to "Hanning. He registered the first few of his 14 children's births using the surname spelling of "Haining". Then the remainder (with one exception) were registered as "Haning". Early census returns were against "Haining" but later ones used "Haning or Hanning". Most of the sons are recorded as "Haning or Hanning" in their marriage and death certificates. Conversely the married daughters who's birth was registered as "Haining" in OPRs persisted with "Haining" in their death certificates but they were probably less invested in that name having taken their husbands surname. And of course not able to clarify when the death was registered.

The one son who was the exception and used "Haining" was John Maben Haining who moved away from Kirkcudbrightshire and lived for many years in America where he got married and took out US citizenship using that version of the name. He eventually returned to the UK and was responsible for commissioning the gravestone that memorialised his parents and three of his unmarried siblings that died relatively young. He obviously preferred Haining on the gravestone.

As he was the only son using this spelling of the surname and he had no sons of his own it has now died out and all of Alexander's grandsons were named Hanning or Haning, the latter gradually being replaced by the former.

Back in the day how a surname was spelled depended on the ear of the recorder, be it a Church Minister, a Registrar or Census enumerator.

If you think of the first syllable of Hanning being pronounced to rhyme with "pane or pain" what spelling would be preferred? Haning or Haining?

Or maybe it was pronounce "Hay-ning" hence spelling would be "Haning".

Nowadays I think it is more likely to be pronounced to rhyme with "pan" so Haning would have become the common spelling. This in time would probably become Hanning because it just looks right.

This is my own thoughts on the transition of my surname, but I note there as still plenty of Hainings out there (they're just not directly related to my family line) so the different pronunciations/spellings persist to this day, its just that the recording of it is obviously a lot more consistent.

Thus far I've traced Hannings from Kirkcudbrightshire, some on to Glasgow, my predecessors went to Edinburgh. Others settled in Perth in Scotland and Welwyn Garden City in England. Also discovered offshoots in Perth & Jingili near Darwin in Australia, British Columbia & Winnipeg in Canada and California, USA.

Particularly interested in Hanning family and their relatives. Early gravestones sometimes refer to them as Haning, Haining or Hainning. Some Old Parish Records have another variation namely Heinnan or Hennin, but over 3 or 4 generations Hanning has prevailed.

The family of Alexander Haining b. c1825 d. 1908 is a good example of how the spelling transitioned from "Haining" to "Hanning. He registered the first few of his 14 children's births using the surname spelling of "Haining". Then the remainder (with one exception) were registered as "Haning". Early census returns were against "Haining" but later ones used "Haning or Hanning". Most of the sons are recorded as "Haning or Hanning" in their marriage and death certificates. Conversely the married daughters who's birth was registered as "Haining" in OPRs persisted with "Haining" in their death certificates but they were probably less invested in that name having taken their husbands surname. And of course not able to clarify when the death was registered.

The one son who was the exception and used "Haining" was John Maben Haining who moved away from Kirkcudbrightshire and lived for many years in America where he got married and took out US citizenship using that version of the name. He eventually returned to the UK and was responsible for commissioning the gravestone that memorialised his parents and three of his unmarried siblings that died relatively young. He obviously preferred Haining on the gravestone.

As he was the only son using this spelling of the surname and he had no sons of his own it has now died out and all of Alexander's grandsons were named Hanning or Haning, the latter gradually being replaced by the former.

Back in the day how a surname was spelled depended on the ear of the recorder, be it a Church Minister, a Registrar or Census enumerator.

If you think of the first syllable of Hanning being pronounced to rhyme with "pane or pain" what spelling would be preferred? Haning or Haining?

Or maybe it was pronounce "Hay-ning" hence spelling would be "Haning".

Nowadays I think it is more likely to be pronounced to rhyme with "pan" so Haning would have become the common spelling. This in time would probably become Hanning because it just looks right.

This is my own thoughts on the transition of my surname, but I note there as still plenty of Hainings out there (they're just not directly related to my family line) so the different pronunciations/spellings persist to this day, its just that the recording of it is obviously a lot more consistent.

Thus far I've traced Hannings from Kirkcudbrightshire, some on to Glasgow, my predecessors went to Edinburgh. Others settled in Perth in Scotland and Welwyn Garden City in England. Also discovered offshoots in Perth & Jingili near Darwin in Australia, British Columbia & Winnipeg in Canada and California, USA.