Genealogy Chat

Hi There. I have discovered a interesting situation with my Miller or Millar Line. My Great Grandfather was the last of 9 children . He was born in 1828 . However he had another sibling who was No 3 , also called John who died in 1831 , 3 years after My John was born. Has anyone come across this sort of thing before? It would be unusual indeed to have the same name in a family. The death details come from the Scottish Genelogical Society cemetery transcriptions. Can anyone help here? Cheers Stuart Sinclair

Hi Stuart Did they have a second name to distingush them ? I have heard of all the sons in the family having the same first name, but a different second name. It was more usual for the name to be used after the first child died. Are you sure the first died after the second was born, not just before ? Diane

Whilst its not unusual to find siblings with the same name, that's usually because the first one has died. However, if i've read your post right, it seems that the first one died AFTER the second one was born/named. This might indicate, if you are sure they're siblings and not cousins, that one of them - likely the second one - was given the name John as his second christian name, but it was used as his first (or subsequently became used as his first name) after the first one died. Karen

Hi In my tree I have numerous instances where a child has died and the next born of the same sex is given the same name, pehaps the name is of importance to them. I also have a case where two siblings are called the same name and both lived, but one had a middle name.

I have a Sarah Anne Nurse b 1835 Colchester and her sister Sarah b 1832, The elder seems to have been known as Ann. They married within a month of each other in 1856. I have certs which verify. This family often change their names - there is also a Hannah who becomes Maria, and Sarah ann has a daughter Agnes who becomes Margaret - makes it interesting tracking them down! Peter

Stuart, don't forget that the cemetery transcriptions could be wrong, and also it has been known for the wrong date to be carved onto a gravestone, so it could be that the first John did die before the second one was given his name. Kate.

My wife's gggfather had 11 children (by his second wife) including 3 Peters and 2 Margarets. Strangely, the last Margaret and the last Peter had middle names, the others did not. Jim

My great-grandad John Newton had an elder brother John. The elder brother died when great-grandad was about 18 months old.

My g/father was called George but his bro who was 4yrs older was also called that there was sister inbetween on checking I found that the first two were illigitimate but my gt g/f must have given them his surname therefore my grandfather was his eldest son and he was called after his grandfather who was also George, think thats it !! Norah

I have an ancestor who had an illegitimate daughter called Harriet, she took her mother's surname, the parents never married as he was already married to another woman. Recently I found his 'first' family, and one of his daughters was also called Harriet. As she was the legitimate daughter they had different surnames but I still find that strange!!!

I have this in my family. Joseph Shipley married Isabella Hetherington in 1842. They had a son Joseph Matthew b. 1846 and a son Joseph b. 1858. I have both birth certs. And no, the first did NOT die. He married Mary Jane Laws in 1864--I have the marriage cert and info from a descendant. Joseph Matthew took the name of Matthew at some stages of his life which made him a nightmare to trace! I think father Joseph expected a son to die and was desperate for his name to survive!!! Wendy