Christian Names

[Gordon163]

Around 1700, in Cornwall, was it he custom to name the children after the four grandparents?

Thanks

Gordon

[Roobarb]

Gordon, are you aware of the British naming pattern? It's as follows:

First son – named after the father’s father
First daughter – named after the mother’s mother
Second son – named after the mother’s father
Second daughter – named after the father’s mother
Third son – named after the father
Third daughter – named after the mother
Fourth son – named after the father’s eldest brother
Fourth daughter – named after the mother’s eldest sister

As this was traditional in England (slightly different in Scotland I think), the answer to your question is probably yes.

[Ayashi]

A lot of my lines follow the naming convention to some degree, but admittedly my Cornish lines were particularly terrible at this. I'm pretty sure my RODDA line is correct and DNA supports the paperwork, but my goodness are the names here there and everywhere. Going back to the 1700s, Zacharias and Grace had 12 children-
the first was named after himself,
the second named after herself,
the third named after her mother,
fourth after his father,
fifth after her father,
sixth after sisters from both sides,
seven-twelve haven't got a clue 

In other words, yes, it is very possible, even probable, that you have children of a couple named after their grandparents. If you are using the naming convention as gospel, however, be aware they don't always play ball 

[Gordon163]

Thanks for your helpful replies. I found the following on the Cornwall Online Parish Clerks website:

Over the centuries, some families used the following naming pattern, or a slight variant:

The first son was named after the father's father
The second son after the mother's father
The third son after the father
The fourth son after the father's eldest brother
The first daughter after the mother's mother,
The second daughter after the father's mother
The third daughter after the mother
The fourth daughter after the mother's eldest sister


Although, as you point out, there are nunerous exceptions!

Thanks,

Gordon

[Draith]

Hi Gordon, The OPC site has it correctly although many name 1st child after the parent in my findings over the years.

[Gordon163]

Thanks.

I have found similar to you quite frequently. I also find long strings of William, John and Richard.

Gordon

[athel_cb]

I'm a bit late to comment on Roobarb's statement, but it seems too precise to me.

My grandfather was one of 12 -- six boys and six girls. In terms of of Roobarb's scheme:

First son – named after the father’s father: William, YES
First daughter – named after the mother’s mother: Elizabeth Anne: YES
Second son – named after the mother’s father: James (mother's father, so YES) Hubert (more distant) Thomas (no one relevant)
Second daughter – named after the father’s mother: Esther (maternal aunt) Maude (no one relevant)
Third son – named after the father: Athelstan (no antecedents, but two later examples, including me) Hall (surname of maternal maternal greatgrandmother)
Third daughter – named after the mother: Ethel Helen (neither relevant)
Fourth son – named after the father’s eldest brother: Ambrose, YES, but the uncle he was named after died on the day he was born; more likely; named after his paternal paternal greatgrandfather
Fourth daughter – named after the mother’s eldest sister: Hilda, no one relevant

So, although they correspond to some degree to Roobard's convention it's far from perfect. Incidentally, Athelstan was my great uncle, not my grandfather.

I should add that my knowledge refers more to Devon than to Cornwall, though Ambrose Bowden (mentioned above) was just in Cornwall, Cawsand -- much closer to the border then than it is now.

[Roobarb]

So, although they correspond to some degree to Roobard's convention it's far from perfect. Incidentally, Athelstan was my great uncle, not my grandfather.

It's not actually my convention and I don't think it was ever prescriptive. My Devon ancestors followed it to some extent but not rigidly and I think that was probably true for a lot of families. The original question related to naming children after the grandparents and I guess that was quite common, whereas the further it went on in the family may have meant that they ran out of steam.  As it were.