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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Angus (Forfarshire) => Topic started by: Jim Murray on Wednesday 22 March 06 19:57 GMT (UK)
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Can anyone tell me how far parents followed any scheme in naming their successive offspring such as taking their own parents' and grandparents' names in turn?
Thank you.
Jim Murray
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The tradition was
first daughter after mother's mother
second daughter after father's mother
third daughter after mother
first son after father's father
second so after mother's father
third son after father
but it wasn't followed 100%. It can be useful to help sort families out - for example I had two Grizel Leslies born in the same parish in the same year, one the daughter of a William and the other the daughter of a Joseph. Both married and had several sons - one had a William and no Joseph, the other a Joseph and no William - so no problem working out which was which.
But the pattern can be disrupted by all sorts of things, so it is only a guide, not a hard and fast rule.
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Thanks very much, Forfarian
I'm away to test it out.
Jim Murray
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Do not lose sight that they may have called multiple children by the same name as mortality was high and there was an expectation that one child would die.
there would be a slight variation on the name, William, Willie, Wills
Evy
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There was probably a variation in the version of the name used informally within the family, but the official/baptismal/formal name for all these variants (and Bill, Billy etc) would have been William.
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You are quite right but it did throw me off a little while thinking that there was an error in dates. What i have been trying to chase is the m.s. is this maiden name or married name in the census returns. I have someone who is born a BERTIE but says m.s. Wilson. Confusing to say the least.
Many thanks for the reply and update.
Evelyn Bertie
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Check out the possibility of more than one marriage. I don't know where you are looking, but in the poorer communities, say Ag Labs and Miners, death was common and the surviving partner could marry again very quickly as combining households was often the only way to pay the rent and look after the children.
That often led to multiple surnames for women, who might marry listing their previous married name but record their MS as well, or sometimes instead. My own gr.gr.grandmother married in 1846 so both names were clear, showed MS on 2 children's births, was widowed in 1850 and then gave her MS on the 1851 census, though her children had their father's surname. When she married again she used her married name, and all 3 names ended up on her death certificate.
You're right - it is confusing!
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You are a star and what a quick response.
Will print it out and check through it.
Many thanks, Evelyn
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Evelyn, why don't you post what information you have and see if anyone can help? Names, dates, sources etc