Harry Potter and the Overly Exuberant Librarian

I bought the tickets this morning. We're going to watch the last of Rowling's books take life on the silver screen. Both of us are literally counting down the hours; the back-and-forth texting comparing who is more excited has been going on since the crack of dawn. So, do you know what happens when a Harry Potter fan is a Reference Librarian? (Picture gleeful rubbing together of hands.)

• A Potter family of four--James, Lily, and tots Minerva and Loyd-- lived in Otero, Colorado in 1900.
• There were three James and Lily Potter households in the 1901 England Census:

  James and Lily Potter, 1900s style

  
  
  Little Hulton
  James Potter - coal miner
  Lily - wife
  John and Ethel - children
  
  Woodbury
  James Potter - general labourer
  Lily - wife
  Lily Lee, Joseph Lee, and Robert Lee - step-children
  Henrietta Potter - daughter
  
  Islington
  James Potter - printer
  Lily - wife
  Elizabeth - mother-in-law
  
  Now, why didn't any of them name a son Harry? That's just no fun!
• In 1830, there were only two Harry Potters living in the US. Incidentally, they both lived in New York State.
• By 1930, the number of Harry Potters in the US had increased to 229. One was even born in Mississippi in 1910.
• Although there is no Voldemort in any of the US Censuses, there were 23 Tom Riddles listed in the 1930 census.

Neville's wedding cake

• In May of 1994, a Mr. Neville Longbottom was married in Bristol. Congratulations, Neville!
• From 1928-1944, a Hermione Granger lived in Monterey County, California.
• There were six Lovegoods in the 1881 England Census. Sadly, none of them were named Luna or Xenophilius.
• There were 41 Weasleys in the 1920 US Census. It seems the American branch wasn't as prolific as the British.
• There were nine McGonagalls living in Scotland in 1871.

Dumbledore

• Dumbledore means a humble-bee or bumble-bee.
• Hagrid means exactly what it looks like... someone who is hag ridden, and thus, is oppressed in mind or harassed. "When she had not slept she did not quaintly tell the servants next morning that she had been ‘hagrid’." T. Hardy Mayor of Casterbridge
• Snape means to rebuke or snub, or to check, restrain, or curb.
• Mundungus is poor-quality, bad-smelling tobacco.

  Mundungus

  

That's what a Reference Librarian with Harry Potter on the brain gets up to. Only 3 1/2 more hours until magic time. I could use a Cheering Charm to get me through. Get out your wands, people!

http://www.ancestrylibrary.com/default.aspx
http://www.oed.com/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bee_at_Wisley_Gardens.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DunhillEarlyMorningPipeMurrays.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/StateLibQld_1_54740_Family_portrait%2C_1900-1910.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Hochzeitstorte.jpg