The Name Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury is a name which belongs to at least three people. I understand two people called Angela Lansbury are authors, me and another one, and the actress and film star Angela Lansbury is the best known. At least when it comes to searches. People often say they have heard of me, then we realise they mean the other Angela Lansbury.
I am frequently labelled Landsbury.
Oddly enough the actress Angela Lansbury has a son called Anthony and so do I. But she also has many other relatives not called Anthony, and so do I.
Liz Taylor
I am frequently labelled Landsbury.
Oddly enough the actress Angela Lansbury has a son called Anthony and so do I. But she also has many other relatives not called Anthony, and so do I.
Liz Taylor
I once phoned up Thorpe Park and asked to speak to a member of staff who turned out to be called Liz Taylor. Taylor is in the list of top ten surnames for some countries.
Top Surnames
Top surnames include Taylor, along with Smith, Goldsmith, Gold, Silver, Black, Brown, White and Baker. I left a message, please tell Liz Taylor that Angela Lansbury phoned. I wondered whether anybody would laugh or think it was a mistake. Nobody did.
Trevor Sharot
I am related to a second cousin by Marriage called Trevor Sharot. He has 21 namesakes also called Trevor Sharot on LinkedIn alone.
Trevor Sharot
I am related to a second cousin by Marriage called Trevor Sharot. He has 21 namesakes also called Trevor Sharot on LinkedIn alone.
Trevor and Wales
Trevor is a very common name in Wales. Trevor means village.
Another popular Welsh name is Tom Jones. I've lost count of the number of times I've searched for people on LinkedIn and Facebook and trawled through pages, dozens with the same name.
Sharots Worldwide
As for Sharot, that appears as Sharot, Sharrott, Sharet. Indians also have the name Sharokh. We have had a lot of cases of Christmas cards sent to the wrong address, after the postman misbelievers, or the number 1 appears as 11 or vice versa.
In America they have gatherings of people with the same surname.
Wong, Wang
You might think you could not have two people with the same name in the same street. Wrong. Wong.
Firstly, you often find relatives in the same street. I went to teach English to a person called named Patel in Wembley.
The Patels
I knocked on a door in the street and asked if the family were Patel.
'Yes,' said Mrs Patel.
I said, 'You are expecting me to teach you English.' The elderly lady who answered did not speak much English. Eventually she called her grand-daughter.
I smiled and announced, 'I am your English teacher.'
She looked puzzled. Not half as much as I did.
I pulled out of my pocket my letter from the teaching agency.
She read it looking puzzled. Eventually light dawned. She told me,
'Yes,' said Mrs Patel.
I said, 'You are expecting me to teach you English.' The elderly lady who answered did not speak much English. Eventually she called her grand-daughter.
I smiled and announced, 'I am your English teacher.'
She looked puzzled. Not half as much as I did.
I pulled out of my pocket my letter from the teaching agency.
She read it looking puzzled. Eventually light dawned. She told me,
'You want the Patels over the road.'
She wasn't sure which number they lived at. I asked,
She wasn't sure which number they lived at. I asked,
'Is there only one family called Patel on that side of the road?'
'No,' she replied. 'There are six.'
I turned up to teach, half an hour late, apologising. They asked, 'Did you find us all right?'
Later I was on a plane to India. I met a man in the boarding queue at Heathrow airport, London, a man who had a nice chat with me and said his name was Patel. Several hours later we arrived in India. I saw him and waved, 'Hello again, Mr Patel.'
He gasped, 'You remembered my name!' He was extremely flattered.
John - as a first name
'No,' she replied. 'There are six.'
I turned up to teach, half an hour late, apologising. They asked, 'Did you find us all right?'
Later I was on a plane to India. I met a man in the boarding queue at Heathrow airport, London, a man who had a nice chat with me and said his name was Patel. Several hours later we arrived in India. I saw him and waved, 'Hello again, Mr Patel.'
He gasped, 'You remembered my name!' He was extremely flattered.
John - as a first name
I have another story about another common name. John. Often there are two people of the same name working in the same office. First name and surname. As for first name only, many. One friend of mine had three Johns in his office and another John next door.
I once heard a joke about a coach being held up at customs in Europe because so many people had the same Welsh first name, and surname, Jones. A football team. I thought it was just a joke. Later it was confirmed by somebody who had had a similar experience of delays, with a tourist group.
Chinese Family Names
In Singapore the family names are shared by many people. You will probably meet many called Lim, Lee, Wong. So when you collect a prize, or make any kind of reservation, you are often asked for your national identity number.
I once heard a joke about a coach being held up at customs in Europe because so many people had the same Welsh first name, and surname, Jones. A football team. I thought it was just a joke. Later it was confirmed by somebody who had had a similar experience of delays, with a tourist group.
Chinese Family Names
In Singapore the family names are shared by many people. You will probably meet many called Lim, Lee, Wong. So when you collect a prize, or make any kind of reservation, you are often asked for your national identity number.
In China and around the world you will meet more Chinese names. Sheng. Song. Soon.
Many Singhs
I looked up common surnames in Asia and found that there are more than 36,000,000 people called Singh. Thirty six million! The advantage is that makes their surname easy to remember.
Useful Websites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_Asia
Many Singhs
I looked up common surnames in Asia and found that there are more than 36,000,000 people called Singh. Thirty six million! The advantage is that makes their surname easy to remember.
Useful Websites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_Asia
About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a British author who has lived in the USA and Singapore.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.
Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.
Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore.
She has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:
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