one name only-Completed

[lil growler]

Hi there

I'm have been wondering why my ancestors don't come with middle names. Is this common or is there a reasonable explanation. It seems strange to me ( not so strange I guess, if I only had one ). Does it perhaps relate to which country they were born.

Can anyone provide an answer.

Thanx

lil

PS I realise my ancestors aren't the only one's with one name.

[trishmac]

Hello Lil

I've noticed that in my part of Scotland (the North-East) middle names didn't become popular until the1850's onwards. There might be one or two instances in e.g. the 1820's but in the main, middle names were just not given. In fact, if ever I see someone claiming to have an ancestor with a middle name pre-1850 I become highly sceptical, if not downright suspicious! (Sometimes you see this on the submitted info on the IGI.)

I wonder if middle names were seen, with typical Scottish pragmatism and dislike of 'put-on' or getting above your station, as an affectation? There may have been a feeling that only posh folk had middle manes and ordinary folk didn't need such nonsense?

Just a theory!

Trish

[daval57]

Good point Trish.
Best wishes from Dave Worthington-Smythe Forrest.

[RJ_Paton]

I see someone claiming to have an ancestor with a middle name pre-1850 I become highly sceptical, if not downright suspicious!

I have several and am named after one of them 

In some families the use of a middle name was sometimes used as a means of passing on the mothers maiden name but it varied from family to family as well as region to region and could also be influenced by those marrying into a family bringing the traditions of their own to add on. In my own experience the Irish influence is the earliest with the "purely" Scottish lines not taking up this tradition until the latter stages of the 19th century, but as I said it varied from family to family with no strict rules of protocol or procedure.

[lil growler]

Hello again

Thank you for you replies.

Good point Trishmac-ancestors may have felt bound by status. It's interesting to discover the norms of another country/s way of life. It almost feels like we know the people we are researching with each bit of information we receive or discover.

The mention from you Falkyrn about the mothers maiden name being passed on as a middle name prompted me to recheck my tree. I found two ancestors with maiden middle names but I had presumed that they were hyphened surnames. I'll have to change my search strategy for those two.

What I found interesting was my Gr grandfather, born in Ireland, married and had one child ( no middle name ) in Scotland, immigrated to New Zealand and his second child was given a middle name. 

with thanks

lil






   

[JAP]

A good site to find middle names is the following:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hughwallis/
Scroll down to the middle names section and then click on Scotland.  You can then search for middle names alphabetically within each county.

This site can be very useful indeed - especially if you are tracing a rare name.

Here is one family I am researching:
Robert PHILP m Margaret LOCHTIE in Fife.
Their children:
Jane PHILP 1822
John PHILP 1824
Robert Lochtie PHILP 1825
Margaret PHILP 1827
Andrew PHILP 1829
Elisabeth PHILP 1831
Janet Lochtie PHILP 1833
William Lochtie PHILP 1835

Of course middle names were not always family names.  As I recall, I've come across this particular middle name (Lochtie - very uncommon) where, in one case it was used to honour a particular friend, and in another honoured the minister who christened the child ...

JAP

[RJ_Paton]

JAP has made some very valid points concerning the origins of middle names.
Personally, I believe it is always best to have an open mind during your research as there is no one size fits all rule that applies when dealing with people.

[lil growler]

Hello JAP

What a little beauty this site is. Very innovative.

Great street directions you gave and I see two of your family members are there.  Since I've gained so much information on my ancestors from Rootschat members, I need to take the time to organise what I have and put it all in order ( I have bits of paper everywhere )  Then... my next mission is to search the site you've recommended. 

Thanks for the lead.

lil

[lil growler]

I have to agree with you Falkyrn. I've been caught out a few times for being one eyed in my search. Thankfully others who have helped are more broad minded ( It's starting to rub off )

lil