Biblical names?

[XPhile2868]

My Hulks and Maynard ancestors from Hertfordshire used a lot of these sorts of names, especially Job and Shadrach. They were mostly Catholic.

My Scowcroft ancestors used names like Isaiah. They were mostly CofE and had some Irish heritage.


Stephen

[Tricia_2]

I'm actually surprised to see Roman Catholics using Biblical names.

 * * *

There is a book about the study of forenames in family history ~ have you seen it?

'Christian Names in Local and Family History' by George Redmonds

"... first names can also be highly significant for those tracing genealogies ....
... George Redmonds ...  believes that every name has a precise origin and history of expansion, which can be regional or even local; up to c. 1700 it may even have centred on one family. ...."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christian-Names-Local-Family-History/dp/1550025074/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205226982&sr=1-2


I feel sure that I have a copy ~ I'll have a look for it. 

[Trees]

Thank you for your ideas everyone I think that book sounds very interesting Tricia will try to get a copy
Trees

[Willow 4873]

Hiya all

This is an interesting site on the use of names

http://www.rogerdarlington.co.uk/useofnames.html#FIN

Willow x

[Trees]

Great link many thanks Willow
Trees

[Aulus]

Interestingly enough they also came from the Midlands - Dudley
so I wonder if these names were just popular in certain areas.

Interesting.  All of my lot with the more obscure names are also all from the Dudley area.

Zealous, Zilla, Manasseh, Obadiah, Kerenhappuch, Hadnor (though that doesn't sound biblical), Beriah, Dorcas, Gideon, Nimrod, Noah - they are all from the Smith and Steventon families in the Dudley area; mostly all born in the first half of the 19th century.

The other interesting thing that I've noticed with forenames in my tree is a major split between my father's families and my mother's families.  My father's families (with the exception of the Dudley ones just mentioned) are all from Lancashire/Yorkshire - and they all have just the one christian name.  My mother's families are from further south and the south east, and they very commonly have at least two, often more christian names.

[Trees]

Hi Aulus I'm desperately trying to find Sarah Steventon who married 1 May 1789 in St Martin's  Birmingham should you come across her please give me a shout she is direct line married Joseph Chambers b 1768 Aston
Trees

[behindthefrogs]

The Northants/Warwicks border was a very strong non-conformist area.  In those days there was a lot of pressure to have children baptised in the parish church and so even if that happened they could well have been non-conformists who traditionally use old testament names.

For example it was said that there were more chapels than people in Long Buckby.  This was obviously not true but it indicates the number of different factions that were around in the area.

David

[Trees]

David that is exactly where my family lived they are from Willoughby Warwickshire and Braunston Northants but only about 2 miles separates the two villages
I think we have the answer but they marry ...well two of the sisters Tabitha and Maacha two brothers sons of a Church Warden  Maacha's husband was also the parish clerk so I think they were evangelical Cof E in keeping with the local mood but not prepared to break from the established order. Many thanks for your local information
Trees