Is Les short for anything?
Yes. Les is a nickname in most old records, and it usually points to Leslie. Less often it stands in for Lester. Expect it in American and British records, mostly 1900s. A record that says Les and a record that says Leslie can easily be the same person, so search both names before you rule anyone out.
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FAQs
Is Les a nickname?+
In old records, almost always - it stands for Leslie or Lester. Treat it as a pointer to a formal name until the documents prove otherwise.
Is Les a real name on its own?+
It mostly rode on Leslie in the eras we track (1900s). If your ancestor's papers only ever say Les, record it as written and keep Leslie as a candidate.
How does this nickname lookup work?+
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