Choa, Chua, Choy, Choi

I’ve found that the above names all have something in common. They are all basically the same character, 蔡 Cài, which is apparently not a widely used name in China overall, being something like 41st usage, but in Fujian Province, as Choy it becomes 7th. As one moves south, the name changes to Choa and in Malaya it is more widely spelled Chua. Is there a connection? Who knows, but I’m at a point where I don’t rule out anything.

One other item on the subject of the Choy name and that’s this old Carl Smith card listing people living on Shelley Street.

Carl Smith Card for Shelley Street