CONDR*Ns in the 1940 US Census

Distribution of CONDR*Ns in the 1940 US Census (darker colors indicate more CONDR*Ns)

I've just finished indexing the CONDRANs, CONDRENs, CONDRINs and CONDRONs in the 1940 US census. The census contains over 1300 CONDR*Ns, located in over 500 households or institutions, across three quarters of the states of the union. (Remember there were only 48 states in 1940: Alaska and Hawaii didn't become states until 1959.)

 
In 1940, one in four CONDR*Ns (25%) lived in Pennsylvania, 11% in Texas and 10% in New York.

Almost two-thirds of the individuals counted were recorded as CONDRON, with CONDREN (20%) being the next most common, then CONDRAN (12%) and finally CONDRIN (5%).

The vast majority of CONDR*Ns in 1940 reported their birth place as being within the United States. Fewer than 4% reported being born in Ireland (Eire, Irish Free State and in one case Northern Ireland), and fewer than 2% were born in other European countries or Canada (mostly women who had married CONDR*Ns). This is in contrast with censuses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when far more CONDR*Ns were first-generation immigrants from Ireland: for example, in the 1910 census, nearly 10% of the CONDR*Ns in the US (about 125 people) had been born in Ireland.

The occupations of CONDR*Ns in the 1940 census reflected the changing times. While some 50 people reported working on the land as farmers or farm laborers, a similar number reported being a "clerk" (though that could mean a lot of things, from filing clerk to sales clerk). There were 10 salesmen and 7 managers, 18 teachers and 10 stenographers or typists. There were two movie-theater projectionists. There were also several owners or attendants at gas stations and several beauticians - occupations that probably wouldn't have existed (or at least wouldn't have been common) in earlier times. Quite a few also reported that they worked in Works Projects Administration (WPA) programs. The WPA, which was the largest agency in Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, provided jobs to the unemployed during the depression of the 1930s: it existed from 1935 until 1943.

There are a number of sites where you can search the 1940 census (for free, I believe):
Official 1940 census site
FamilySearch.org
Ancestry.com
FindMyPast .

I am happy to answer search queries - email me at Condran [AT] one-name.org (replace the [AT] with an @) or at CondranONS [AT] gmail.com. I am also happy to try to provide further details about CONDR*Ns you have found in the 1940 census.

It has taken me several months to index the CONDR*Ns in the 1940 US census, so I am relieved that it will be four years before the 1950 US census is released in 2022 under the "72 year rule"!  The 1921 census of England & Wales will also be released in 2022, under the "100 year rule", so I expect I'll be very busy then!

Lest We Forget

Tyne Cot Cemetery near Passchendaele, West Flanders, Belgium (image credit: www.cwgc.org)

2014 is the centenary of the start of the First World War.

The First World War began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. They called it the Great War, the war to end all wars. The war pitched the Allies (Britain, France and Russia, later joined by the United States and others) against the Central Powers (Germany and Austro-Hungary, later joined by the Ottoman Empire [Turkey] and Bulgaria). Many factors contributed to the start of the war, including: the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s territorial ambitions in the Balkans, leading to its annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908; the arms race between Britain and Germany; the “bellicose utterances and attitude” of the German Kaiser (to quote Liddell Hart); and the various treaties between the big powers that linked them into joining the war. The trigger for war is generally taken to have been the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on 28 June 1914 during a visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 28 July, Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Other major powers mobilized their troops in the subsequent days: Russia on 29 July, Germany on 30 July, France on 2 August. Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August following the German invasion of Belgium.

In all, more than nine million combatants were killed. Britain and Ireland lost nearly 900,000 men, while the loss of combatants from the British Empire as a whole was more than 1.1 million men. Many more were casualties. The names of the campaigns and battles where so many lives were lost – Gallipoli, the Somme, Passchendaele, … – still have a resonance today. In some countries, we remember those who died each year on the anniversary of the Armistice, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and wear red poppies like those that grew in the fields of Flanders where such slaughter occurred.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
– From ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae

In 2014 I shall use this blog to remember those CONDR*Ns who gave their lives in the First World War, devoting one post to each of them in the chronological order in which they died. I have researched carefully and believe this is a complete list of CONDR*Ns (with their service numbers) who were killed in the war:

Arthur CONDRON, Private, 4/8173, died Aug. 1916
Edward CONDRON, Petty Officer Stoker, 295103, died Sep. 1914
Frank CONDRON, Corporal, 4525, died Sep. 1915
Herbert CONDRON, Private, 36779, died Dec. 1917
Hugh CONDRON, Private, 3046, died Aug. 1916
Humphrey N. A. CONDRAN, Private, 3045, died June 1917
John CONDRON, Private, 11362, died Apr. 1915
John CONDRON, Private, 9249, died June 1915
Lawrence CONDREN, Private, 3015, died Aug. 1915
Martin CONDRON, Private, 7401, died Apr. 1915
Michael CONDRON, Rifleman, 3956, died Dec. 1917
Michael CONDRON, Corporal, 26919, died Apr. 1918
Patrick CONDRON, Private, A/7579, died July 1916
Thomas CONDRON, Private, 24941, died Apr. 1917
Thomas CONDRON, Private, 32396, died Feb. 1920
Thomas Arthur CONDRON, Serjeant, 15901, died Feb. 1918
Thomas Denis CONDRON, Private, 7045, died Aug. 1918

All these are listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) among those who died in the First World War, with one error that Thomas CONDRON (died 1917) is listed there as “J. CONDRON”. Following the CWGC, I have included Thomas CONDRON who died in 1920, even though his death occurred after the end of the war.

If I have erroneously omitted anyone from the above list then I sincerely apologise and ask readers of this blog to let me know the name and details of the deceased (my contact details are below). Also I would greatly appreciate receiving photographs of any of the above men who died in the war.

Of course, many other CONDR*Ns served in the First World War, and numerous of them were casualties of the war. I would welcome receiving information about them. If I receive enough contributions I will write a future blog post about those who served without sacrificing their lives.

Please contact me by leaving a comment below, or by emailing me at CONDRAN[AT]ONE-NAME.ORG

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
– From ‘For the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon

Condr*n as a given name

Some weeks ago I had a few hours to spare in Washington DC and visited the library of the Daughters of the American Revolution (see picture), which is located close to the White House. I didn’t have high hopes of finding any CONDR*N leads, but in fact there was one book in the library catalogue with CONDR*N connections: “The Ancestors and Descendants of Michael Dan Mitchell (1759-1995)” compiled by Marlene Wilkinson (revised July 1996).

The book details the genealogy of Michael Dan MITCHELL, son of Charles Reeves MITCHELL (1890-1953) and Grace Lenora CONDRAN (1887-1962). As stated there, Grace was the daughter of Patrick CONDRAN and Rachael MORRISEY, both offspring of unknown parentage. Grace was born on 15 May 1887, married Charles MITCHELL on 1 August 1910 in Mitchell, South Dakota (Grace’s home town), and died on 18 February 1962. Charles worked for the Chicago Milwaukee Pacific Railroad and the family lived variously in Aberdeen, South Dakota; Spokane, Washington; and Linton, North Dakota. Charles MITCHELL and his wife Grace (nee CONDRAN) had five children as detailed by the book:

            Condran Finch MITCHELL (1913-1921)

            Charles Thomas MITCHELL (b. 1915)

            Rachael Beverly MITCHELL (b. 1918)

            Mary Patricia MITCHELL (b.1924)

            Michael Dan MITCHELL (1926-1994).

Has anyone else come across Condran, Condren, Condrin or Condron used as the given name (first name, Christian name) of a child, as in Condran Finch MITCHELL?

The U.S. 1910 census shows Grace CONDRAN (aged 22) shortly before her marriage to Charles, living in Mitchell, South Dakota, with her parents Patrick (born in Iowa about 1861 of an Irish-born father and Canadian-born mother) and Rachael, and her younger siblings Michael (aged 20), Anna (18), Harry (17), William (15) and Lucy (13). All the children were born in Iowa. Another child (Patrick and Rachael had seven in total, following their marriage in about 1883) is not present in the household.

Do you know anything more about this family?

Incidentally, ancestry.com announced this week that they have completed the indexing of the U.S. 1940 census. According to the ancestry.com indexation, there are 1352 CONDR*Ns in that census: 164 CONDRANs, 277 CONDRENs, 78 CONDRINs and 833 CONDRONs. There’s quite a bit of research to be done to fit all these people into CONDR*N trees! I happened to note that only one male CONDR*N in this 1940 census was born in England: that was Edward CONDRON (aged 13) in Passaic, New Jersey, son of John (aged 39, a dyer, born in Ireland) and Emma CONDRON (aged 41, born in England). Their other child, Mary (aged 12), was born in New Jersey. Research in the UK births and marriages records reveals that John CONDRON married Emma TAYLOR in the Salford registration district (in the county of Lancashire) in the second quarter of 1924, and Edward CONDRON was born also in Salford registration district in the first quarter of 1925.

Marriages and Deaths

Newspapers provide a great additional resource for tracing family ancestors, particularly from the second half of the nineteenth century onwards. Below are some announcements of marriages and deaths that appeared in the Dublin newspaper, The Freeman's Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser, between 1874 and 1895.

According to the British Library newspapers website, The Freeman's Journal was established in Dublin in 1763. It was a four-page daily paper until it doubled in size in 1872. In 1854 at least three Irish newspapers enjoyed far larger readerships than the Journal, but by 1900 it could claim to be the leading Irish newspaper. 

Marriages

Wed Oct 18, 1876
CONDRON and CULLEN - Oct. 15, at the Church of the Star of the Sea Irishtown, by the Rev. Thomas Leahy, CC, Mr. Francis Condron to Alicia, second daughter of Mr. Wm Cullen.

Sat Feb 14 1880
WHITE and CONDREN - Feb. 9, at the Church of SS. Mary and Peter, Arklow, by the Rev. J. Dunphy, P.P., Michael, third son of the late James White, of Killabegs, to Honora (Oney), second daughter of Morgan Condren, Scarnagh, county Wexford.

Wed Feb 20 1884
CONDREN and WOOLOHAN - Feb 19, 1884, at Ballycooly Catholic Church, by the Rev P Germain, PP, Avoca, assisted by the Rev J Dunphy, PP, Arklow, and the Rev N Barry, CC, Avoca, Daniel Condren, TC, Arklow, youngest son of the late Thomas Condren, to Julia, eldest daughter of the late Edward Woolohan, Ballykilagar, county Wicklow.

Sat Aug 8 1891 
CONDREN and SHEEHAN - July 29, 1891, at the RC Church, Johnstown, Co Wicklow, by the Rev Pierce O'Donnell, Edward, youngest son of Morgan Condren, Scarnagh, to Mary, second daughter of Andrew Sheehan, PLG, Barnaclay, Arklow.

Sat Oct 22 1892
GRANELL and CONDREN - October 17, 1892, at St Patrick's Church, Castletown, by the Rev James Dunphy, PP, assisted by the Rev LJ Farrelly, CC, Rev P Doyle, CC, &c, Peter, son of the late John Granell, Esq, Curranstown, Arklow, to Sarah, eldest daughter of the late John Condren, Esq, Hill View, Arklow.


Deaths

Mon Mar 9 1874
CONDRON - March 8, at her residence, 2 Little Strand-street, Mrs. Mary Condron, the beloved wife of Mr. Michael Condron, aged 87 years. Her remains will be removed on to-morrow (Tuesday) morning at ten o'clock to Glasnevin Cemetery. Friends please accept this notice.

Thu May 7 1874
CONDREN - May 6th, at his residence, Main-street, Arklow, Thomas Condren, aged 58 years. His remains will be interred in Castletown on to-morrow (Friday).

Fri Jan 24 1879
CONDRAN - Jan. 22, at Cork-street Hospital, Patrick Francis Condran, late of Kiltegan, county Wicklow, aged 30 years, deeply and deservedly regretted. R.I.P. American papers please copy.

Tue Aug 19 1879
CONDREN - Aug. 18, at his residence, 2 Little-strand-street, Mr Michael Condren, aged 76. Interment at 10 o'clock on to-morrow (Wednesday) at Glasnevin.

Mon Feb 2 1880
CONDRON - Jan. 31, at his residence, 10 Poplar-row, Spring-gardens, Mr John Condron, aged 82 years, fortified by the rites of the Holy Catholic Church. His remains will be removed to Glasnevin Cemetery at 10 o'clock on to-morrow (Tuesday) morning. R.I.P.

Tue Sep 12 1882
CONDRON - Sept 1, 1882, at her residence, 133 North Strand road, fortified by the rites of the Catholic Church, Mrs Bridget Condron, aged 75 years. RIP.

Fri Sep 14 1883
CONDREN - Sept 9, 1883, at his residence, Hill View, Gorey, John Condren, aged 80 years, deeply regretted by his wife and family and numerous firends. R I P. American and Australian papers please copy.

Tue Sep 22 1885
CONDRON - Sept 21, 1885, at 24 Little Mary street, after a short illness, to the inexpressible grief of his [...] and family, Charles Condron, aged 29 years. RIP. Funeral will leave above address at 2 o'clock to-morrow (Wednesday) for interment at St Margaret's.

Mon Sep 6, 1886
CONDRIN - August 30, 1886, Anna Maria, eldest daughter of the late John Condrin, Hill View, Gorey. R I P. Interment on yesterday after Solemn Office and High Mass.

Mon Jun 4 1888
CONDRON - June 3, 1888, at her residence, 4 Nicholas street, Mrs Elizabeth Condron, aged 34 years, to the inexpressible grief of her sorrowing husband and family. RIP. Interment on to-morrow (Tuesday) morning at 10 30 o'clock for Glasnevin Cemetery. Provincial papers please copy.

Wed Jun 20 1888
CONDRON - Jun 19, 1888, at his residence, 6 Green street, after a short illness, Michael Condron, fortified by the rites of the Holy Catholic Church, to the inexpressible grief of his wife and family. RIP. Interment at two o'clock on to-morrow (Thursday) at St Margaret's.

Sat Mar 23 1889
CONDRAN - March 22, 1889, at 105 Upper Dorset street, Mr John Condran, late of Tullamore, of acute bronchitis, deeply and deservedly regretted by his sorrowing wife and a large circle of friends. On his soul sweet Jesus have mercy. Interment at Rincle, Tullamore.

Wed May 25 1892
CONDRON - May 24, 1892, at her residence, 41 Lower Sheriff street, Mrs Bridget Condron, after a long and painful illness, fortified by the rites of the Holy Church. May she rest in peace. Interment in Glasnevin Cemetery at 10 30 o'clock on to-morrow (Thursday) morning.

Thu Aug 4 1892
CONDRON - August 3, 1892, at Jervis street Hospital, Thomas Condron, aged 31 years. RIP. Funeral at 10.30 to-morrow (Friday) morning from 4 Nicholas st. Provincial papers please copy.

Sat Feb 10 1894
CONDRON - Feb 8, 1894, at Clarendon street, Mary Madeline, the darling child of Mary and Edward Condron, Stn-Sergt DMP, aged 1 1/2 years. Funeral will leave at 10 30 o'clock on this (Saturday) morning for Glasnevin Cemetery.

Tue Aug 13 1895
CONDRON - August 12, 1895, at her residence, 39 Belton[?] street, Mary, the beloved wife of John Condron, and daughter of the late Michael Byrne, Garr. King' County. RIP. Interment in Glasnevin cemetery on to-morrow (Wednesday) morning, 14 inst, at 11 o'clock. Friends please accept this notice.


 

Name variants

Today is the Thanksgiving holiday, so first of all Happy Thanksgiving to all U.S. Condrans, Condrens, Condrins and Condrons! I don't know exactly how many people that is, but at the time of the 1930 census (the most recent U.S. census to be publicly viewable), the index on ancestry.com shows there were 1488 people in the U.S.A. with the name CONDR?N (where ? stands for any one letter), namely 226 CONDRANs, 336 CONDRENs, 31 CONDRINs and 906 CONDRONs. (The reason these numbers don't add up to exactly 1488 is presumably that a few entries have been indexed under more than one spelling.)

As this one-name study has developed, I have realized that surnames can often be misspelled, and that names people go by can evolve according to local pronunciations etc. particularly in the nineteenth century and earlier, before widespread literacy. I do still regard CONDON as a distinct name different from the ones under study here (even though CONDRON can sometimes be misspelled in the records as CONDON). But the following name variants can I think all be considered to be related, and therefore relevant to this one-name study. I have grouped them according to their being most common, uncommon, rare, and then those instances that possibly only occur as misspellings.

Most common
CONDREN, CONDRON, CONRAN

Uncommon
CONDRAN, CONRON

Rare
CONARON, CONDERAN, CONDRIN, CON(N)ERAN, CON(N)ORAN, CONRYN

Possibly only occur as misspellings
CONARAN, CONDERON, CONDORAN, CONDORON, CONDRUN, CONERIN, CON(N)ERON, CONORON, CONREN, CONRIN

I stand ready to be corrected!

It is interesting to speculate whether CONDRON and CONRAN, for instance, are more ancient in usage than CONDRAN, say, and if so whether CONDRAN is a corruption deriving originally from CONDRON or from CONRAN.

So to summarize, the names whose instances need to be collected in pre-twentieth century records in order to try to understand present-day distributions and origins of CONDRANs, CONDRENs, CONDRINs and CONDRONs are of the form CON*R?N, where ? is a single letter and * is any number of letters (including none); but excluding names of the form CONC*R?N which I consider to be distinct from those under study here. In searching indices etc. for possibly occurrences of the study names, I use these searches with the wildcards * and ? when the search engines permit:
CONA*R?N
COND*R?N
CONE*R?N
CONN*R?N
CONO*R?N
CONR?N

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!