Finlay/Edgar of Bangor, Down - The clue was in the children's names

[ozgreg]

I have been researching our Finlay/Edgar ancestors from Bangor/Lower Balloo in County Down. After being stuck for many years I discovered extra clues were actually in their children's names which provided many new leads.  It made me wonder whether this is common and others have found the same. 
In summary, Miss Ellen Finlay was a grocer in Main Street Bangor in 1852 and Robert Edgar was a baker at 13 Main Street Bangor.  They married soon after and their children were named Archibald William Finlay Edgar, Samuel Edgar, James Finlay Edgar, Robert McCutcheon Edgar, William Richey Edgar and John Moore Edgar.   The revelation came when I looked at who the children may have been named after. Turns out they all lived in Balloo or Balloo Lower, Bangor at that same time apart from the obvious ones named after grandfathers.  James Finlay and Robert McCutcheon in Balloo Lower, while William Ritchie and John Moore lived near Balloo Rd and Gibsons Lane according to the 1863 valuation. That helped narrow down which James Finlay was Ellen's father and then a whole line of Finlays could be found from there.  I'm still trying to determine whether they were just neighbours, friends, fellow merchants from Main St or whether they may have been related through the Finlay side of the family.  We will be visiting Bangor from Australia soon and look forward to visiting the area and hopefully finding some more clues.

[Kiltaglassan]

...Miss Ellen Finlay was a grocer in Main Street Bangor in 1852 and Robert Edgar was a baker at 13 Main Street Bangor.  They married soon after...

Here's the marriage record - on 19 October 1854 at Bangor Presbyterian Church.
Fathers Samuel Edgar a baker, and James Finlay a farmer.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1854/09477/5434519.pdf

[ozgreg]

Thankyou, seeing the full marriage record is fantastic!  Interesting that Robert's father Samuel was a baker too.  Robert and Ellen's son Archibald was also a baker when the family moved to Australia in the late 1880s

[Kiltaglassan]

For others, an Edgar sibling-

John Edgar born 10 October 1964 at Bangor.   MMN Finlay
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1864/03599/2327490.pdf

[ozgreg]

Thankyou for the link to the record!

[Elwyn Soutter]

It’s long been a common custom for Presbyterians in particular to use a surname as a middle name. It can sometimes be the mother’s maiden name but often it’s the name of someone the family respects. Perhaps the local Minister or a teacher. Perhaps a relative.

The practice is common in Scotland and was brought to Ireland by Presbyterian Scots who settled here mainly in the 1600s. So it’s mainly Presbyterians in Ireland that follow this tradition though you do sometimes see other denominations doing it too.

[shanreagh]

There is an irish naming pattern. It is sometimes not followed as slavishly as the one in Scotland. In my family I have got relations named after clergy, of looked-up to men and women in the community as well as following naming patterns.

Here is a link (I'm sorry for putting this great long link but I have twice tried to shorten the link using the Rootschat tool but after twice finding myself out in the ether with no sight of shore.....)

https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Ireland_Naming_Customs#:~:text=Traditional%20Naming%20Pattern,-A%20traditional%20naming&text=First%20son%20usually%20named%20for,for%20the%20father's%20eldest%20brother

[ozgreg]

Thankyou both.  Very interesting!    From our ancestors, Samuel Edgar - uses the Father's Fathers name.   James Finlay Edgar uses the Mother's Fathers Name.  Robert McCutcheon Edgar is clearly linked to Robert McCutcheon who lived next door in Balloo Lower and is also related.  Interesting that the first son was named Archibald William Finlay Edgar (maybe after the grandfather William Finlay?).  Not sure yet on how William Richey and John Moore fit in but obviously they were well respected by the family. 

[ozgreg]

My search for notable/respected people the other two children may have been named after has raised a couple of interesting possible candidates:
John Moore - operator of the "Bangor Boat" as well as the "Switchback Railway - Kingsland" - Bangor
William Ritchey/Ritchie - Surgeon - Seaview, Bangor