Hi
One of my grandfathers has the surname Bryant. I understand this may well indicate some Irish Catholic roots, "Bryant" being a frequent Anglicisation of names like "O'Brian" or "O'Brien". (My Ancestry DNA test suggested I am 21% Irish, but my proven Irish ancestry only accounts for under half of this).
I traced his line back to my 3rd great-grandfather, Daniel Bryant (790-1831). Interestingly, several members of the Bryant clan, including Daniel, were buried in a Protestant Dissenters' Cemetery near Braintree, Essex. For evidence, see:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AmxJyApgEAcYho57LyN ... g?e=mp3LxQ
Daniel's wife, Elizabeth Spurgeon, is buried in the same cemetery. They were, however, married in a c of E Church. Some of the children appear to have also been "Dissenters", some not; the Baptism of their son Walter, for example, is recorded in the "England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers":
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AmxJyApgEAcYho58Kkw ... Q?e=zGCFsR
I have some questions re this:
1. The term "Dissenter" sounds rather archaic to my ear, but it seems to be synonymous with "Protestant non-Conformist" - am I correct in this?
2. How would I find the actual religious denomination of Dissenter ancestors?
3. Is there any way of tracing religious conversions? Most of the Dissenters' ancestors seemed to become C of E at some point in their lives, or were at least buried in a Cof E church
Can anyone help?
Thanks!