Christian Names between 1650-1680

[(Caroline)]

I recently discovered my missing generation between the years 1650-1680.  The females were christened Elizabetha, Maria for Mary, Anna for Ann, etc., and the males were Johannis for John and Guilielmus for William, even though previous generations were just plain John or Thomas. 

I wondered if anyone could advise as to whether it is likely, that post return of the Monarchy and Charles II's initial tolerance, that they could have returned to Catholicism and used Latin Christian names, or whether Thomas's wife 'Margarie' was French, German or Dutch (Guilielmus is also a Dutch/German name); perhaps a Huguenot.... The area is North-West Staffordshire.

[aghadowey]

If you are finding these names in church records then it likely just the Latin versions of the names have been noted in the records.

[AntonyMMM]

Looking at other entries in the register for those years will show whether this was peculiar to your family or if, as I suspect, all names were recorded in Latin for a period.

[pinefamily]

Possibly a change of minister or clerk could account for the change in writing of names.

[Regorian]

Apparently christian names were in English during the Commonwealth but then reverted to Latin ( even if pigeon ) after the Restoration until 1725ish. Shouldn't have any problem with that. Any doubts Google the Latin version which will show the English version. All the registers I had to search prior to 1725 were in Latin, but that was a tiny fraction of all parishes.

[(Caroline)]

Thank you all for your replies, which have been very helpful and encouraging, especially as I am new to this. 

Initially I was working from an old handwritten family tree, which may have come from family accounts at the time or parish records, or may be a bit of both.  Last year I joined ‘find my past’ to validate names & dates, which were mostly consistent until I came to a halt with the generation born between1650-80; that was when I discovered that these Christian names which were written in English on the family tree were actually recorded in Latin.

With regards to my first reply from adhadowey and referring to my copy of burial records, it looks like the records in 'Staffordshire Burials' were recorded in Latin, but in English in the 'National Burial Index for England & Wales' – I think you are correct on this and thank you for that.

Moving on to my next reply from AntonyMMM – I note that same/similar names in other parishes are not in Latin, I think I need to check for other entries in the same parish register to see if it was peculiar to my family or not – thankyou.

And thank you for the suggestion from the pinefamily, that a change of minister could account for a change in the writing of the names.  I have an account of the church that tells of the same incumbent remaining in situ from 1647-1676, with a chalice being donated in 1664!  Would anyone know what the significance would be of mentioning this chalice?

And also thank you to Regorian for explaining that Christian names reverted to Latin after the Commonwealth, that is very encouraging.

Finally, if I may, I would like to put one more question; I have a marriage transcription dated 1622, of the grandparents of Guilielmus and Johannis, completed with names in English however, neither the bride nor groom's parents are documented.  Could this transcription be of a second Anglican marriage ceremony, possibly carried out to legitimise a previous private Catholic ceremony?   I have read that such things happened and, as this is not too far from Whiteladies and Boscobel.....

Once again, thank you all for your help and suggestions.
PS. I tried to drag over a 'smily' but he refused and reverted to text - but a smily smily was intended to be inserted here.

[pinefamily]

Just click on the smiley of your choice, and.........
 

[bevj]

You won't find the parents' names on the record of a 1622 marriage.

Bev

[ThrelfallYorky]

As late as 19th century I came upon baptism & marriage records for some on my other half's side where English names - James, David, Peter etc - had been latinised for the records as Jacobus etc. I'd assumed, from the context that was an R.C. way of recording, as they were converts to that Church, and that this was quite normal? Those names were, as far as I can see, never used in a secular context.