Back to home page

The Nightingale Connection
A Family Mystery

Florence Nightingale 1820-1910 Florence Nightingale 1820-1910
(Connected to our family tree?)

My family has a story that my grandfather (b1878 Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire) had a 2nd cousin who married Florence Nightingale's sister. I believe this is not exactly true, but a good tale which has grown in the telling. However, like all good tales there appears to be an element of truth. I believe our family has some connection to the name NIGHTINGALE, although so far I haven't been able to confirm it.

The one piece of evidence we have is a piece of framed needlecraft (a "sampler" I believe is the correct term) which was handed down to my father. In embroidered stitches it states:

"Ann Nightingale her work aged 6 finished January 12 1828"

So this Ann Nightingale was probably born in 1821, but that is all the information we have. I have checked the IGI, but so far have not found a match. The table below are the closest matches found. I have also checked on Florence Nightingale's family history, also without luck. So the search goes on.

Nightingale Links

Country Joe McDonald's Florence Nightingale Tribute
Florence Nightingale Museum

Possibles form the IGI

Name Christened Father Mother Place Note
Ann NIGHTINGALE 1821 Miles NIGHTINGALE Ann Little Lever, Bolton, Lancs  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 1/7/1821 William NIGHTINGALE Margaret St Leonards, Shoreditch, London  
Ann Tall NIGHTINGALE 11/2/1822 Robert NIGHTINGALE Ann Coveney, Cambridge  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 2/6/1822 George NIGHTINGALE Dinah St Peter and St Paul, Milton by Gravesend, Kent  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 20/12/1821 David NIGHTINGALE Mary Langtoft with Cottam, Yorkshire  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 20/5/1822 Richard NIGHTINGALE Hannah St Martin, Birmingham  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 24/11/1821     Waltham St Lawrence, Berkshire Henry Archibald NIGHTINGALE, no parents listed
Ann NIGHTINGALE 29/4/1821 John NIGHTINGALE Ann Weybridge, Surrey  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 29/7/1821     Preston, Lancs John T. CAINE, no parents listed
Anne NIGHTINGALE 14/12/1821 George NIGHTINGALE Anne St Giles, Cripplegate, London  
Hannah NIGHTINGALE 15/7/1821 John NIGHTINGALE Hannah St Martin, Birmingham  
Nancy NIGHTINGALE 23/4/1822 John NIGHTINGALE Betty Bridge Street Wesleyan, Little Bolton, Lancs  
Hannah NIGHTINGALE 25/8/1822 James NIGHTINGALE Jane Horwich, Lancs  
Hannah NIGHTINGALE 31/3/1822 William NIGHTINGALE Mary Belper, Derby  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 14/1/1821 Robert NIGHTINGALE Rachel Gisburn, Yorkshire  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 14/4/1820 Thomas NIGHTINGALE Catharine Chorley, Lancs  
Ann Dorothy NIGHTINGALE 18/3/1821 William NIGHTINGALE Dorothy St Michael, Coventry  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 18/4/1821 John NIGHTINGALE Mary HOYLAND Snaith, Yorkshire  
Ann NIGHTINGALE 4/2/1821 John NIGHTINGALE Susannah St Andrews, Hertford  

Back to home page