What's in a name?

Comments after the jump.

 Margaret Kent 
 B: 1830 in Lismore, Waterford, Ireland
 D: 1904 in New York, United States

 FATHER
 Daniel McCarthy (1786-1847)
 MOTHER
 Margaret Murphy (1784-1862)

 SPOUSE & CHILD
 Dennis Mccarthy (1830-????)
 ✿ Katie Mccarthy B: 1827

 SPOUSE & CHILDREN
 Dennis J Mccarty (1827-1877)
 ✿ Margaret McCarthy
 ✿ Elenor McCarthy B: 1850
 ✿ Julia Mccarthy B: 1855
 ✿ Mary Ellen McCarthy B: 1855
 ✿ Mary Mccarthy B: 1858
 ✿ Michael McCarthy B: 1858
 ✿ Mary Ann Kelly B: 1859
 ✿ Catherine Mccarthy B: 1861
 ✿ PIERCE J McCARTHY B: 1863
 ✿ Pierce McCarthy B: 1864
 ✿ Margarett Mccarthy B: 1865
 ✿ John Edward McCarthy B: 1868
 ✿ Felix McCarthy B: 1868
 ✿ Margaret McCarthy B: 1872
 ✿ Bridget Mccarty B: 1875
 ✿ Ellen Mccarty B: 1877
 ✿ Maggie Mccarty B: 1879

 CHILDREN with UNKNOWN SPOUSE(S)
 ✿ J E Hope B: 1829
 ✿ E C Vaughan B: 1834
 ✿ D R Cameron B: 1835
 ✿ E C Bolton B: 1835
 ✿ T Cuming B: 1837
 ✿ F W Carey B: 1843
 ✿ Thos Hugh Davies B: 1849
 ✿ Mary Ann Davies B: 1850
 ✿ Joseph H Berry B: 1860
 ✿ Clara Alma Swoffor B: 1861

 RECORDS
 ✿ 1900 US Census: McCarty Family in Indiana
     Dennis J 73, Margaret 62, Bridget 24, Ellen 22, Maggie 21
 ✿ 1900 US Census: Mccarthy Family in Missouri
     Dennis 70, Margaret 65, Katie 27
 ✿ 1891 England Census: Workhouse Inmate, Margaret McCarthy 61
 ✿ 1880 US Census: Mccarthy Family in Connecticut
     Dennis 52, Margaret 50, Julia 25, Mary 22, Catherine 19, John 17, Margaret 15
 ✿ 1880 US Census: McCarthy Family in New York
     Dennis 55, Margaret 55, Michael 22, Pierce 16, John 13
 ✿ 1870 US Census: Mccarthy Family in New York
     John 35, Margaret 38
 ✿ 1861 Wales Census: Defensible Fort Barracks, Pembrokeshire, Wales
     Maria Horsley 28, Henry Berry 25, Susan Berry 25, Joseph H Berry 5 mo., Joseph McKenn 28, John Swaffor 33, Eliza Swaffor 28, Clara Alma Swoffor 1 mo., Thomas Kelly 35, Mary Kelly 25, James Kelly 3, Mary Ann Kelly 2, George Birch 25, John Thos Davies 48, Margaret Davies 37, Thos Hugh Davies 12, Mary Ann Davies 11, J E Hope 32, E C Vaughan 27, C E Stirling 27, E C Bolton 26, T Cuming 24, F W Carey 18, D R Cameron 26

 All records show place of birth as Ireland except the last which has Warwickshire, England.

ⓑⓐⓡⓚⓘⓝⓖ  ⓤⓟ  ⓣⓗⓔ  ⓦⓡⓞⓝⓖ  ⓣⓡⓔⓔ

I'm sure the tree owner has some proof somewhere that Margaret Kent and Maria Horsley [1861 Wales Census] are the same person. I mean, why else would someone attach a record with a different name and different place of birth? [extreme sarcasm intended]
The residence for that 1861 census is military housing. If you have a UK or World subscription and you would like to see the record for yourself you can view it here. You will also see how trees like this make a joke of Ancestry.com's suggested records feature. In the right hand column on that page are records that "may also be relevant" to Maria Horsley. They are the other census records listed above. Records for Margaret McCarthy are relevant to Maria Horsley how?
Ancestry.com's indexing is partially at fault for this mess. But only partially. The names in italics (green box above) have been indexed as children of Maria Horsley. Of course any researcher with half a brain would:

1. notice that at least six of the children were born before their supposed mother was 13.
2. see each set of parents for those children on the original record.
3. not attach a record for Maria Horsley to Margaret McCarthy in the first place!

So we are to believe Margaret Kent, a.k.a. Margaret McCarthy, a.k.a. Maria Horsley, is the daughter of a McCarthy and the wife of two Mccarthy men. Where does the name Kent come from? Or the name Maria Horsley?
There are quite a few trees that have Margaret Kent's parents as Daniel McCarthy and Margaret Murphy. None of them have an explanation as to why Margaret has the surname Kent and most, big surprise, do not have any sources unless you count other trees.

Thanks to Ainslie for sending in this profile ;-)


PREVIOUS POST: Gene-illogical
NEXT POST: Photo Friday: Quaker Oats