Genealogy Chat

Hi Beth It makes finding your Scots origins a lot easier, doesn't it! The usual naming pattern is eldest son named for paternal grandfather, second son after maternal grandfather; first daughter after maternal grandmother, second daughter after paternal grandmother. This includes maternal maiden names as second given names even for girls. Also Jean can be found as Jane, Jeanie, Janet or Jessie! If you come across a bunch of people with the same names as those you know about, then they are more than likely your relations. My lot's full of Freds and Elizabeths on one side who all seem to have married one another and Georges, Alexanders, Jessies and Janes on the other. The best site for tracing Scots relations that I have found is scotlandspeople. Have fun!

I am trying to find my Scottish ancestry and having discovered my mother's grandfather, Thomas Melville, on 1901 and 1891 census on Scotlands People I found that his grandmother was Jessie Melville or Mrs W Melville. I hazarded that the W was for William and ran an IGI. I got the following results for father William Melville and mother Jessie. 2. WILLIAM GRAY MELVILL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 30 APR 1855 Dundee, Angus, Scotland 3. JOHN ARCHIBALD MELVILLE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 10 FEB 1861 Leith, Midlothian, Scotland 4. JESSIE MOFFAT MELVILLE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Birth: 27 OCT 1858 Dundee, Angus, Scotland 5. MARION MELVILLE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Birth: 05 JUL 1865 Leith, Midlothian, Scotland 6. ABRAHAM ARTHUR MELVILLE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 19 OCT 1856 Dunkeld, Perth, Scotland 7. CECILIA MOFFAT MELVILLE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Birth: 02 JUN 1872 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland 8. JOHN MELVILLE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 11 AUG 1870 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland All of the above have mother Jessie Moffatt. (The first record had a different mother) On the census I have an Abraham of the correct age born in what could certainly be Dunkeld Perthshire. What is the probability that these are all the same family going on how common the names are and the localities Beth :)

Elizabeth, One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the number of families with same names of parents and children, sometimes even within the same district. It is not safe to assume anything in this game, as it can send you down the wrong path. Better to start with the folk you are really sure of and obtain certificates, so as to ensure you are looking at the correct families. We are all tempted to cut corners and assume things to save time and money, but it is risky and can be ultimately disappointing. Ian

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