one name only-Completed

[ladybird]

My great uncle baptised Francis Townsend b1890 in Scotland managed for the first 20 odd years of his life without a middle name.
Suddenly at the start of WW1 he acquired the middle name Melville.
I have yet to find a connection anywhere in the family with that name 
Sylvia

[JAP]

lil,

Middle names can help with further links.

For instance, re the middle name 'Lochtie' from Fife which you apparently looked at.

John Lochtie BROWNE and Thomas Lochtie BROWN are both great-nephews of 'my' Margaret (LOCHTIE) PHILP - sons of her niece (daughter of Margaret's brother John) Jane (Jeannie) LOCHTIE b 1828 who married George BROWN.  When Jane died in 1914, she was recorded with the middle name of 'Harley' - the maiden surname of her Gran (the mother of 'my' Margaret and her brother John)!
And William Lochtie WILSON was another great-nephew of Margaret - son of her brother's daughter Elizabeth (sister of the Jane who m BROWN) who married George WILSON.

Those middle names can be an enormous help    Though sometimes quite misleading 

JAP 

[aghadowey]

The use of middle, or even two or more middle, names can vary greatly even within a family. My great-grandparents (Canadian) had six daughters and gave 1st, 3rd, 5th girls 2 names and 2nd & 4th girls only a first name. Seventh child was a boy and he got 2 middle names.

[avm228]

The use of middle, or even two or more middle, names can vary greatly even within a family. My great-grandparents (Canadian) had six daughters and gave 1st, 3rd, 5th girls 2 names and 2nd & 4th girls only a first name. Seventh child was a boy and he got 2 middle names.

I've seen this, too.  Most often in my family they have seemed to run out of steam at the end of a large family - so for example the first child might have three names including mother's maiden name, 2nd-7th get two names and by the time they get to the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and more it's all they can do to think of one name!


Anna

[Billy Anderson]

Just to side track a wee bit and to add confusion I have a relative called 'Catherine Donald' who called her two children 'Catherine' and 'Donald'.Lucky she had a son and a daughter or they may have been the chance she called a daughter Donald!, regards Billy.

[lil growler]

Here's hoping  I have a few pleasant surprises when I start to search for middle names. It could become quite interesting.

It seems that my Great grandfather George strayed from tradition in two ways. The first ( at this stage ) to give his second son ( my grand dad )a middle name and the second to discontinue passing down the name George. ( his father and grandfather are George also ). I must remember he was married, so his wife may have been the influence in these decisions.

And Billy how did your relative end up with the name Donald. Was it her mothers maiden name.

Cheers

lil





 

[aghadowey]

My great uncle baptised Francis Townsend b1890 in Scotland managed for the first 20 odd years of his life without a middle name.
Suddenly at the start of WW1 he acquired the middle name Melville.
I have yet to find a connection anywhere in the family with that name 
Sylvia

Both my grandfather's used different names to the ones they were registered with at birth. Luckily I knew about the changes before I started tracing their families. One changed middle name from Dana to Davis (and gave second son that middle name)- Dana was his father's middle name and Davis was the name of a teacher or close family friend. Other grandfather didn't have a middle name but in, I think his teens after his father died, took his great-grandmother's maiden name as a middle name- he also named his 2nd son after himself.

[ladybird]

Thanks Aghadowey
I think the name Melville must have come from some sort of teacher or mentor for Francis Townsend.
I have gone back through parents, grandparents, g/grandparents and even one set of gg/grandparents for him with no mention of the name.
Very odd!  though it's made him easier to find and verify paperwork on 
Sylvia

[lil growler]

Hi again

I find the replies I've been reading are quite fascinating and have taken a back seat to read only as this is all new to me and I don't have my own to add. Personally I think it would be great to be named after an ancestor and have that sense of connection ( so long as it wasn't Donald he! he!). Sorry Billy ( being a woman ) the name wouldn't suit me.
It's appears traditions vary from country to country. But the use of a middle name would ( in most cases, I imagine ) help distinguish  between all family members especially if the mother or fathers names were passed down to the children.

Thanks for the insights

lil