Genealogy Chat

Thanks Chrisa, that is a good tip, it helps with my current problem and elusive ancestor

Marilyn

My Irish family seemed to stick to this pattern...even some of them using the same first and second Christian names in my generation......so b****y confusing!

Have given several of my ancestors nicknames so I can remember where they fit in.

Have Richard's 1 through 5 on one line and Elizabeth's 1 through 6 on another, Another line has Mary from the dairy, Tipperary Mary and Bloody Mary (she has a namesake baptised at the same time, so I don't know know which one is which).

That was the problem I was having. Quite a few of mine had sons all born the same year & then all named the same thing. It drove me mad working out who was whos!

I've got bits of my tree with up to half a dozen names the same, and with about 4 of them alive at the same time, working out who is who can be a real nightmare

Andy

I came accross this a while ago & thought it might be useful for people like me who get frustrated by all their ancestors having the same names.


Angus Baxter in "In Search of Your British and Irish Roots" describes a pattern that was popular in England in the 1700-1875 period:

The first son was named after the father's father
The second son was named after the mother's father
The third son was named after the father
The fourth son was named after the father's eldest brother
The first daughter after the mother's mother
The second daughter after the father's mother
The third daughter after the mother
The fourth daughter after the mother's eldest sister

If this pattern would result in a duplication of names — i.e., both grandfathers had the same name — then they would skip to the next one on the list.