Naming conventions

[Deirdre784]

Just wondering how much store one puts in the naming of children after their parents or grandparents. I have 2 brickwalls that i’m looking into....

William Williams, born around 1886, son of William Williams, farmer (deceased) on his first marriage, no father listed on his 2nd, married Ellen Lewis, daughter of William Lewis and Margaret Jones.

William and Ellen have 3 daughters ... Elizabeth, Margaret (Ellen’s mother) and Ellen (herself). Is it likely that William’s mother was Elizabeth? May not help hugely in looking for William’s parents but at least having both names would narrow it down. William’s DOB is given as 1 April 1889 on the 1939 register but he is said to be 24 on his 1st marriage on 18 Sep 1909, 34 on his 2nd marriage on 4 Sep 1920, and 78 at his death on 17 April 1964, so i’m guessing the DoB is not correct (though could be 1 April).

The second one .... William Lord, son of John Lord and Catherine Foreman, married Margaret Meany, daughter of Edward (deceased) in Waterford, Ireland, on 10 July 1858. Their first child was Edward John (born 8 Oct 1859 in Essex), followed by Catherine Anastasia, born in Bedminster on 2 April 1862. Is it likely (probable) that Margaret’s mother was Anastasia?

Have found nothing so far for Margaret’s parents (i have had little luck on any of my Irish branches), but again, having both parents names could hopefully help. Margaret was born around 1840 in Greenville, County Kilkenny (18 on her marriage in 1858, and 82 on her death on 19 May 1922).

Many thanks, Deirdre

[DavidG02]

Its not a hard and fast rule for me but some time frames I do look more closely. Of course Scotland naming conventions were very strong at certain time periods

As to the 2nd name Anastasia does seem to be likely but also think about the time. Is there any important figure around that time called Anastasia? But I would be looking for an Anastasia in that family

[Deirdre784]

Thanks David, i have to admit it’s not something i’d considered closely before, but struggling to get any further on both these lines.

[lydiaann]

"Its not a hard and fast rule for me but some time frames I do look more closely. Of course Scotland naming conventions were very strong at certain time periods"


My maternal line through her father DID follow the naming patterns without fail, making it quite easy to trace backwards - they actually started in Wakefield with one moving to Scotland.  Of course, it all falls apart for a generation or so if the eldest does not marry and have children!  My paternal line, while having 'family names' through the generations, did NOT follow 'the rules'...they emanaged from Lancashire...until my father, when he did so with we 3 children; having said that our grandparents' names were not "our" names, thus for example, my brothers were both named with the 2 grandfather's names as their first names but were known by "their own" second names, as was I (although - as I was the child of older parents - I received both my grandmothers' names as 1st and 2nd (my username!) but have my "own" 3rd name by which I am known.

[Deirdre784]

Thsnks LydiaAnn 😀

[lydiaann]

Oops, spelling error.  It should have read 'emanated' of course!

One thing I have found that helps is to trace 'sideways', i.e. use (if you have them) siblings.  It can reveal sufficient sometimes to be able to state categorically that you are (or are not, as the case may be) following the right family.  As has been intimated above, often 'used' names are second or even third names so it's worth juggling around the censuses with different combinations of same.

[Deirdre784]

Sadly, siblings are thin on the ground.... not found anyone for William, supposedly born in north west Wales but in south east Wales on everything I have. Witnesses at his first marriage were both from Ellen’s family. Witnesses at his 2nd were his wife’s older sister and an unknown male.

For Margaret, i do have a brother, Edward, presumably named after his father, but no-one else. Though typically having posted my query, i have today found a possible baptism for Margaret, parents Edward and Margaret, so if they only had 2 children, both named after themselves, not any family. But it is some miles away from where Margaret claims as her birthplace, so needs a close look. And there’s no baptism in the same church for brother Edward.