In reworking the profile of PGM Francis Kendall I encounter the family lore surrounding the use of the word "alias" in one document, his marriage record in Woburn, which reads "Ffrances Kendall, alias Miles, and Mary Tedd maryed the 24th of 10 mo 1644." In no other record is he referred to as Kendall alias Miles nor has any record in England purported to be his found with this nor is there any record of his traveling to the colony as Miles. There is some indication that he immigrated with other family members in which case it is unlikely he used a name other than his own.
This has given rise to an entirely undocumented family lore that he left England under an assumed name due to parental disapproval. There is nothing on which to base this lore and it would appear this is a fanciful invention to explain the marriage record. Dawes-Gates which contains the most extensive relatively contemporary examination of Kendall discounts both explanations regarding the wording of this marriage record in a footnote on page 376.
My question is when did the use in England of giving names such as Richmond alias Webb end in general practice and is there any evidence that this practice was used in the colony and, if so, continued as late as 1644?
Please note the profile of Frances Kendall is being revised. What is there presently is what is being reworked and/or discarded.