Genealogy Chat

I have found my nan who had at least 13 or maybe 15 children has actually used the name of a child that died, again for another child no wonder I cannot find all of them has anybody else found this

Hi, It was quite common to name a child the same as one who had died, particularly if it was a "family"name. My Gabriel named 3 daughters Martha after his mother but sadly none reached adulthood. Gwynne

I've found this too!! I also have a set of twins with the same name- William! They obviously didn't give much thought for us lot trying to trace them. LOL! Best wishes Paula

really I am amazed no wonder we are having problems I have been discounting some because I knew she already had a child by that name

Hi Valerie Oh yes, all the time. It seems to have been quite normal to recycle second-hand christian names. It seems really strange to us, to whom it seems to be bordering on uncaring of the dead child, but they lost so many children in infancy, and tended to carry family names through the generations, that it was obviously accepted, if not expected, practice. Tina

I've found this also!!! Jacquie

Hi, This may be useful to some people on the subject of names. THE NAMING PATTERN USED APPROX. 1700 - 1875. and is a 1970 reprint in a Genealogical Magazine. The First son was named after the Father's father. The second son after the Mother's father The third son after the Father. The fourth son after the father's eldest brother. The first daughter after the Mother's mother. The second daughter after the Fathers mother. The third daughter after the Mother. The fourth daughter after the Mother's eldest sister. There were always exceptions but it is a good guide. Gwynne

It was considered good luck to recycle names. If one son John had died then another named John would live - a superstitious belief almost that death would become confused and miss him.

Yes, I was shocked when I saw three James in a row in my ancestors family. I mean, you wouldnt even name a dog the same as the one you had lost now would you? It must have been heartbreaking losing kids like that all the time. Must say that listing of naming practice doesnt actually fit with my lot. They used the same names but all over the place.

my nans were born in the 1900s was it still common practise then??????????

Hi Valerie My Mother-in-Law was named after a sister who died so it was still common in 1915 We only found out about it when we came across a list of names in her papers after she died I have also found a middle name used for brothers who are still alive. Very confusing isn't it Chris

Yes, my husband was given the same name as his baby brother who was born a year before him and died after 12 hours. We only found this out this year. They both seem to have been called after their grandfather who died three months before my husband was born. This was in 1947 so it probably still happens. Kath. x

Wifey surely you dont mean one pair of twins were both called William did you mean two pairs ??????????

I have a line of the family where every male child was called John but had a middle name and this is the name they were known as. Makes it hell tracing them! Ali

Valerie I have a William who had 2 elder brothers both called William who died before his birth. I have two Sophias with the same parents, to save confusion I refer to them as Sophia I and Sophia II. My Dad's father had an elder brother called John William, who died and the son born immediately after his death was John William. My Dad's mother had a younger brother called John William, who died a year before the one on dad's father's side. The next two boys were John (who died) and William, who survived. I do find it odd that our relatives chose from such a small pool of names. If you look at censuses for a village you find there are very few first and surnames. They must have had nicknames to know who they were talking about! In one Warwickshire village all the girls were either Emma, Eliza or Sarah! I also have a Gloucestershire village with 3 Charles Williams in it, all around the same age! nell

My grandparents had a son James who died in 1922. They then named their next son James, so the practice carried on well into the 20th century.

I've found this 3 times in my 19th Century family.

I have one lot that all the children are named after the husband's family - none for the mothers side. Another which is my brick wall - first children of James and Margaret I can find have the same names as father's parents Hugh and Helen but as I have a choice of 3 mothers for Margaret's mother Helen or Margaret x 2 I'm a bit stuck and can't seem to find a way to idenify the mother!!!!

I found a family where two daughters were named Matilda, born about 10 years apart, but the first one was still definitely alive!.. Made me doubt whether I'd found the right family, but I'm pretty sure I have now. Don't know if they fell out with the first one or something... Seems a bit strange to me.

Well at least we can find some connections through the family names of our ancestors. Imagine what it will be like in a hundred years time and they look back at all the Waynes, Kylies, Brittneys etc! No connections to find there.