If you’re not careful, and don’t look at names, dates and relationships with a critical eye, you can easily mix up people on your family tree. I’ve lost count of how many people have incorrectly recorded my great-great-grandmother as her niece, because they shared the same name.
My great-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Agnes Grant, was known to her family as Eliza. She was born in Araluen in October 1858 to Primeiron Grant and Julia Collins, with her birth registered in Braidwood. Eliza married Abraham Hodge in 1882, and had ten children. She died in Sydney in 1940.
Eliza’s older brother Walter Grant was born in 1845. He married Elizabeth Barnett, also known as Eliza, in 1867, and they named their first daughter Eliza Grant. That daughter was born in November 1867 and her birth was registered in Braidwood in January 1868. Eliza Grant the younger married Michael Joseph Hart. She died in Parramatta in 1946.
Many people who haven’t done their due diligence in checking records appear to have incorrectly confused the two Elizas. Other people have subsequently copied information from incorrect trees and spread misinformation.
The easiest way to avoid mistaken identity is to get copies of official records and cross check full names, specific dates, not just years, and relationships like the names of parents listed against births, marriages and deaths. Even an obituary in the newspaper can help steer you in the right direction.
Selected references
Birth registration of Elizabeth A Grant, born 11 October 1858, Braidwood, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, New South Wales, 5773/1858.
Birth registration of Eliza Grant, born 22 November 1867, Braidwood, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, New South Wales, 7038/1868.
Marriage registration of Eliza Agnes Grant and Abraham Hodge, married 15 May 1882, Goulburn, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, New South Wales, 1882/3286.
Marriage registration of Elizabeth Grant and Michael J Hart, married 1884, Braidwood, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, New South Wales, 4169/1884.
Death registration of Eliza Agnes Hodge, died 29 July 1940, Ryde, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, New South Wales, 17360/1940.
Death registration of Eliza Hart, died 28 November 1946, Parramatta, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, New South Wales, 29670/1946.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/249738336/elizabeth_agnes-hodge: accessed November 1, 2025), memorial page for Elizabeth Agnes “Eliza” Grant Hodge (11 Oct 1858–29 Jul 1940), Find a Grave Memorial ID 249738336, citing Rookwood General Cemetery, Rookwood, Cumberland City Council, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by SarahS (contributor 51516225).
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149342095/eliza-hart: accessed November 1, 2025), memorial page for Eliza Hart (unknown–29 Nov 1946), Find a Grave Memorial ID 149342095, citing Rookwood Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria, Rookwood, Cumberland City Council, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by jlong (contributor 48741020).
Untangled Family History 
On my mother’s side, there were four generations of Thomas Pitkin.
on my father’s side, when my grandfather was first researching our family tree in the 1950s, he had a number of George Morgans to choose from, so chose the most reputable (not our convict ancestor).
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[…] great-great-grandparents, Abraham Hodge and Eliza Agnes Grant, married in Goulburn in May 1882. They were given a pair of small antique vases as a wedding gift, […]
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