Greifswald, Germany, Miller/Muller

[3Chant]

I have drawn a blank in my search for my great grandfather, John Herman Miller (Johann? Muller? Moller?). He was a 28 year old widower by 1885 when he married my great grandmother, Mary Glinnane, in Cardiff. From their marriage certificate, his father was Christian Miller. The 1891 UK census locates John Herman in Cardiff and his birthplace as Greifswald, Germany.
I would like to find details of his birth, first marriage, emigration to UK and his German family. No small task! I have searched ancestry and one or two of the more obvious German sites but found nothing. Any hints wold be greatly appreciated.

[JustinL]

A good place to start would be here (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSPF-G9Y9-K?i=399&cat=578396) - the Militärstammrollen (muster rolls) for Greifswald covering the period from 1852 to 1877.

These rolls record the births of all the boys in preparation for their conscription into military service at the age of 20 and a few details about whether the boy was actually called up or not.

Good luck. Justin

[3Chant]

Many thanks. I have accessed the records and am working my way through...
Margaret

[davecapps]

It was common practice to give children 2 or 3 christian names.

boys, the grandfathers or godparents. girls, the grandmothers or godparents.

The last name was the given name from the parents.

I have numerous examples from Pommerania where "all" the children had three names.
They all adopted there 3rd name, the one given by their parents, as their first name.

i.e
Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm Brandt - called himself Wilhelm - emmigrated to America as William
Wilhelm Friedrich Eduard Brandt - called himself Eduard - emmigrated to America as Edward

I primarily failed searching for Wilhelm and Eduard Brandt because i was focusing on their "Rufnamen" or commonly used names.

What i am saying is, if he called himself Johann / John it could have been his second or third name
It could have been "Hermann Franz Johann" for example

Consider this the next time you are searching.

[3Chant]

Thanks for the hint. I will bear it in mind.
Margaret