Genealogy Chat

I have just had an email from genfindit whom i ordered a certificate through. My great grandfather was born 1881 in dublin name James Roantree. Anyway its not a common name but the only Roantree born that year is an unknown male in Dublin which must be my grandfather. They have ordered a copy for me, and i am certain on the date and place so it has to be him. The question is why would he be down as an unkown roantree and not his first name?? Could it be the first name was illegible??? Any thoughts???

Hi, A child had to be registered but it wasn't necessary to give the child a name in order to register it. Quite often parents did not name a child until they were sure it was going to live - especially if they wanted to name it after a family member. A search of the baptisms of the parish he was born in may help as children were often baptised before they were registered. Gwynne

Hi Clare Not an expert on Irish records. In English records, the usual reason for forename being recorded as unknown is that the child was either stillborn or died as an infant, so birth and death are registered in the same quarter. Has anyone checked that there is no corresponding death?

He definetly didnt die as my father wouldnt be here lol! I know the church he was baptised in , do you think if i rang them in dublin they would be able to help?? Thanks xx

Hi there, Roantree is quite an unusual name and as there is only one registered when you wanted, I think that I would ask them to check for a Rowantree. It may have been misspelt by the registrar. Mary

Or even Rowntree. nell

Hi mary he did sound pretty thorough when i returned email so i am sure it is him. Incidently just received another email back from him and as already mentioned this was quite commmon in ireland appently as they hadnt decidied what to call him lol. I am almost positive it is him though but never thought someone would go 9 months being pregnant and unsure of the name xxx clare

I've just seen a similar birth certificate where only the childs surname & sex is mentioned but where the parents names are it says mother deceased! She actually died the day the baby was registered so maybe the husband was too upset to give a christen name - just a thought Jean

Pamela Where did you find those Irish birth details from, please? And my grandparents changed the name they had chosen for my dad after he was born after they met someone obnoxious with it! They did register him with a name but they did wait until the six weeks had nearly expired.

Hi there, well my roantrees are definetly from dublin lol. Used to name being mispelled/misprounounced as i lived with it myself for 30 yrs until i got married lol xx I know there are lots in yorkshire but i am not related to any of those, but that is probably where the name originated. As for James as far as i know his parents were micheal and ?? lacey but need the cert to be sure. Funny really about names as James son was called micheal and my father was also a james so it would have gone micheal james micheal james! Really looking forward to the cert arriving, thanks for the replies and the suggestions xxx xlare

Just a note on names. Naming patterns were common in both Ireland and Scotland. First son named after paternal grandfather; 2nd son named after maternal grandfather; 3rd son named after father; 4th son named after father's eldest brother (and so on) First daughter named after paternal grandmother; 2nd after maternal grandmother; 3rd after mother etc. as above.