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HELP - Traditional Scottish naming of children

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Lynnette

Lynnette Report 28 Dec 2007 03:44

I was not sure which thread to post on, I think I have the best one. I am wondering if anyone can help me with the order in which children born into Scottish families used to be named. I know names were taken from the parents and grandparents but not sure in which order. I hope I am making myself clear, it seems hard to explain.

gfather (father side) & gmother (father side)
gfather (mother side) & gmother (mother side)
Father
Mother

Was it first male child born got gfather (father side) name
second male got gfather (mother side) name
third male got ???
first female got gmother (mother side) name and middle her maiden name as a middle name
second female got gmother (father side) name and middle her maiden name as a middle name
Third female got mothers name and her maiden name as a middle name.

(This seems to be the way my grandmother and grandfather named the children.)

My family was very traditional in the naming of the children and I am hoping to figure this out to help trace back a little further and see if I am on the right path.

Thanks for any guidance.

♥Betty Boo from Dundee♥

♥Betty Boo from Dundee♥ Report 28 Dec 2007 05:49

This is a general naming pattern that was used. Variations on it follow. Naming patterns can help you locate earlier ancestors.

The 1st son was named after the father's father.
The 2nd son was named after the mother's father.
The 3rd son was named after the father.
The 4th son was named after the father's oldest brother.
The 5th son was named after the father's 2nd oldest brother or mother's oldest brother.
The 1st daughter was named after the mother's mother.
The 2nd daughter was named after the father's mother.
The 3rd daughter was named after the mother.
The 4th daughter was named after the mother's oldest sister.
The 5th daughter is named after the mother's 2nd oldest sister or father's oldest sister.

Betty

Lynnette

Lynnette Report 28 Dec 2007 14:48

Thank you so much Betty. That really helps.

Now if I can get the DOB of the girls I should be able to find out who was named after the father's mother and who was named after the mother's mother.

All the best for the new year.

Val

Val Report 28 Dec 2007 16:03

If they are on scotlandspeople they will be there if you look at the cencus and take the ages and area born you will get the birth certificate on line 1855 to 1906, marriages 1855 to 1931 and deaths 1855 to 1956 they will be adding a year on soon and parish reg 1553 to 1854 cencus 1841 to 1901