RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: jacdee on Sunday 26 February 06 12:26 GMT (UK)
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Does anyone know if there is a 'top ten' type of list of the most popular childrens names for the late 1800's?
I'm just wondering how common some of my ancestors names would of been. Alot of them seemed to stick to the family names of John, William, Henry, Mary and Elizabeth etc, but there are a few who decided to be different and use Lewis, Cuthbert, Minnie and Emma.
I know there are lists for babies born in the 2000's, but do lists exist for the other centuries?
Jacdee
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Popularity depends both on time and place. In the fishing village where my maternal ancestors lived all the men had biblical names like Elisha and Obidiah.
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I certainly agree that location has something to do with it, as well as family tradition. I have a lot of Sussex ancestors. One particular family uses George, Elizabeth, John, Mary, Sarah as well as Gabriel (very useful!). Another family uses James, Thomas and Robert a lot but steered clear of George and John.
The Victorians really began to branch out with their choice of names.
Nell
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A search of ancestry' FreeBMD data (where you don't need to give in a surname) should give you a good idea ... Or the nearest census to the period you are inerested in.
Tanja :)