Author Topic: Naming patterns  (Read 1356 times)

Offline SmallTownGirl

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Naming patterns
« on: Thursday 16 February 17 11:12 GMT (UK) »
Just been musing to myself about naming patterns in large families.

Say, for instance, there's a chap called John Smith who has seven sons who each have a son of their own.  Following the English naming pattern strictly, all of these seven grandsons of John would also be called John.  Wouldn't that make life rather confusing for everyone?  Or would it be a case of the first-born grandson being called John and then the rest being "excused" using that name for another name from the pattern further down the list?

Perhaps I need to get out more?  ;D

STG

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Offline roopat

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 16 February 17 11:24 GMT (UK) »
My husband's large family was easy to trace through the generations but in each generation only one son was named after the father. It just happens that in his direct line it goes Robert/John/Robert/John/George/John/Jack/John/Jonathan so they found ways round it, thankfully!  ;D  (and my husband's middle name is John  ::) )



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Offline aghadowey

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 16 February 17 12:02 GMT (UK) »
Why couldn't all eldest grandsons have been named after same grandfather?

In our family there was a William Stevenson whose coffin was carried by 4 grandsons named William Stevenson. All the grandsons had nicknames (Willie of the Big House, Singing Willie, Carpenter Willie & one whose name escapes me at the moment) so there was no confusion either in the family or amongst people in the area.
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Offline LizzieW

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 16 February 17 15:23 GMT (UK) »
Quote
there was no confusion either in the family or amongst people in the area.

But there might be great confusion for their ancestors.  Their nicknames wouldn't be of any help when trying to find their BMD certs, or census entries.


Offline Andrew Tarr

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 16 February 17 17:33 GMT (UK) »
But there might be great confusion for their ancestors.  Their nicknames wouldn't be of any help when trying to find their BMD certs, or census entries.

The ancestors won't be confused as they are long dead.  I guess you mean descendants ?  ;)
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Offline Mowsehowse

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 16 February 17 18:20 GMT (UK) »
Just been musing to myself about naming patterns in large families.

Say, for instance, there's a chap called John Smith who has seven sons who each have a son of their own.  Following the English naming pattern strictly, all of these seven grandsons of John would also be called John.  Wouldn't that make life rather confusing for everyone? Or would it be a case of the first-born grandson being called John and then the rest being "excused" using that name for another name from the pattern further down the list?

Perhaps I need to get out more?  ;D   STG   

Oh yes, desperately confusing.
I spent about 15 years thinking 2 sisters had married the same man.  [i.e. The younger married her brother-in-law after he became a widower, which bothered me because I think that was considered illegal.]

BUT NO........  turned out they had married cousins who had the same name!!  ;)
BORCHARDT in Poland/Germany, BOSKOWITZ in Czechoslovakia, Hungary + Austria, BUSS in Baden, Germany + Switzerland, FEKETE in Hungary + Austria, GOTTHILF in Hammerstein + Berlin, GUBLER, GYSI, LABHARDT & RYCHNER in Switzerland, KONIG & KRONER in Germany, PLACZEK, WUNSCH & SILBERBERG in Poland.

Also: ROWSE in Brixham, Tenby, Hull & Ramsgate. Strongman, in Falmouth. Champion. Coke. Eame/s. Gibbons. Passmore. Pulsever. Sparkes in Brixham & Ramsgate. Toms in Cornwall. Waymoth. Wyatt.

Offline myluck!

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 16 February 17 18:22 GMT (UK) »
It does mean you have to research very carefully and ensure you are following the correct line

If each of John SMITH's grandsons had a son and named him John SMITH and so ad infinitum!

As for nicknames - these are not recorded so you are relying on family stories and histories

My grandmother was always known by her husband's name; Mrs. Peter
There were at least seven people of the same name in the small townland she lived in either by birth or marriage

Many Irish women retained their maiden names. 
The book Peig Sayers being a good example.
My Aunt was known by her maiden name all her life as her husband and three of his brothers all married a woman named Mary.
Kearney & Bourke/ Johns & Fox/ Mannion & Finan/ Donohoe & Curley
Byrne [Carthy], Keeffe/ Germaine, Butler/ McDermott, Giblin/ Lally, Dolan
Toole, Doran; Dowling, Grogan/ Reilly, Burke; Warren, Kidd [Lawless]/ Smith, Scally; Mangan, Rodgers/ Fahy, Calday; Staunton, Miller
Further generations:
Brophy Coleman Eathorn(e) Fahy Fitzpatrick Geraghty Haverty Keane Keogh Nowlan Rowe Walder

Offline bykerlads

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 16 February 17 19:54 GMT (UK) »
Here in West Yorkshire you still hear folk referring to "our Jack " , your "Mary", "his Susan's Peter".
Though nowadays with smaller families and greater variety of names it is usually clear who is being referred to without needing to say who they"belong" to.
In the past and certainly in our tree, it must have been essential to do this in order to be sure exactly which (of many) Martha's, Hannah's, Eliza Mary's , Herbert s, etc etc you were talking about!

Online coombs

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Re: Naming patterns
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 16 February 17 20:10 GMT (UK) »
Scotland did seem to adhere to naming patters more than in England.

Although my ancestor was the son of Matthew and Margaret Coombs and he named his first son Matthew and first daughter Margaret.

Sometimes such patterns can be helpful as well as confusing. Say if you found a Zebediah Bloggs born in 1800 in a parish in Suffolk and his mother was Mary Bloggs nee Soap, and you have not yet found her baptism but then come across a Mary Soap born a few miles away in 1775 the daughter of Zebediah Soap it can be a lead even if you need to confirm (or deny) a probable link.
Researching:

LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET Coombs, Munday
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Budery
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham, Jupp
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk
USA Musgrave, Saix
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain