Known by middle name rather than first name - South West trait?

[Philezra]

Hi - Is this just a trait in Devon and Cornwall where, up to a certain point in the 20th Century, many people (men only??) could be known commonly by their Middle name as opposed to their given First name?

My Grandfather was christened John Stuart Mills (born in Camborne, Cornwall) but was known as Stuart

A chap christened Frederick Wilfred Worden (born in Devon) was known as Wilf. Another, whose middle name was John is known by it - seems pretty common actually - any thoughts from anyone???

thank you

Phil

[clayton bradley]

Could it be that they were called after their fathers and so the middle name was used to distinguish them? My brother was always known by his middle name for this reason and we live in the north west. claytonbradley

[RJ_Paton]

I have an Irish line where several of the men were all known by their middle names rather than their "given" forename, even to the extent of signing documents and census entries. I also know personally of individuals from the Hebrides Islands who went by their middle name as they had been given the same forename.

[ambers]

Hi Philezra,

I know with my Cornish side that my ggrandfather was referred to as Dick because his father was Richard, also with ggrandfather Nicholas his son was called Nick. I have often seen  a daughter with the same name as her mother called by her second name.

In my Welsh side every child of one family was called by their second name all their lives, and I had to wait for the 1911 census to find out their first names

Ambers

[jds1949]

I was baptised John David - my father was John - I was always called David - except when I was in trouble!

jds1949

[Sharon01]

Hi,

A couple of mine from East London were known by their middle names & one was called Jack although his name was Alexander!!.

Sharon

[marysma]

Hi Phill,

            my father and his 6 siblings were all known by there middle names-haven't a clue as to why.We are a bit further west than you-Wales .

Marysma

[vic1]

Both my mother and my late father have always used their second names for no apparent reason other than one parent ( possibly their Mums) not wanting to use the name the father had put on the birth certificate. I do know that my paternal grandfather came back from market to announce that he had registered my twin aunts - and named them without consulting my Nan. We live right on the welsh border and I've known several people who didn't use their first name. 

[Mayan]

My fathers family come from the Islington area of London. When I asked him about general family information when starting my research he told me about an aunt Winifred. It took a lot of research to find out that her real name was Mary. There is no Winifred in her name or as far as I can find out.

We have no idea why she called herself Winifred.