Naming Trends
(This is the text file of the "talk" given on July 11 about finding your ancestors through naming trends. I have also added "Kinship Terms" describing relationships in earlier times.)
First of all, I want to welcome everyone tonight. This information comes from a lecture I attended given by Marsha Hoffman Rising in 1991.
Too often the genealogist focuses research on those individuals bearing the surname and often only in the direct line. For this reason, records which may clarify relationships, "prove" ancestral connections or add evidence to support a hypothesis can be overlooked. It is important that the researcher emphasize the family network rather than linking via surname.
This lecture is about finding your family by early naming practices and studying collateral kin. Since data regarding the direct line is often not available, you can make the connections by studying the collateral kin. One of the ways of finding your collateral kin is by utilizing naming practices.
In the early colonies, the law of primogeniture was in effect. It is an exclusive right of the eldest son to inherit the father's estate. To ensure that the eldest son inherited, in the event the father died intestate, the eldest son was generally given the same name as his father. The second son was often given the first name of one of his uncles, generally the father's oldest brother. Later, families devised their own system to ensure that their offspring inherited. ie., giving all children the same middle name, denoting the fact that all with that name could inherit, and not just the oldest son.
As many families were very large, it is possible to find collateral kin, and thus an earlier ancestor by studying the names of your ancestors siblings.
As stated earlier, the eldest son had the same name as his father, the second son, the first name of one of his uncles. (paternal usually, unless the father had no brothers, then a maternal uncle). The middle name was either his mother's maiden name, or grandmother's maiden name. Basically, as more children were born, more maiden names were used, but generally those in the direct line. Great grandmothers, great great grandmothers, etc. Interestingly, after the fifth child, there will be names of famous people. ie, Joseph Wheeler, Robert E. Lee, etc.
Second generation immigrants often deviated from the original family names. They often named their children after local heroes. It is not uncommon for a southern family to name male children after famous southern political personalities, such as Robert E. Lee, Francis Marion, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, etc. However, the following generation often returned to the names of the previous generation. Therefore, when you find a generation of "local heroes", don't be discouraged. Ignore the names and try to concentrate on the more common names. This will help guide you back to the earlier ancestors.
Women's names follow the same practices as men's names, but generally follow the maternal line. The eldest daughter is often named for her maternal grandmother. Once again maiden names are often used as middle names. Sometimes, if the family is very large, you will only find one or two of the daughters with a maiden name as a middle name. Ironically, to find your female ancestor, you might have to take the first name of the eldest daughter, and the middle name of the second son.
Another interesting tidbit regarding women's lines. If you have the marriage record of your ancestor, and have no information about the wife other than her name, make a note of the person that married them. Many times the minister who performed the wedding is a relative. Her name may be different because she was a widow, thus being referred to by her first husband's name, instead of her maiden name.
It is often difficult to prove identity when there are several individuals with the same name. Aside from analyzing the family thru the naming trends, one should attempt to learn everything about their ancestor; wife, children, children's spouses, minister, debtors, creditors, occupation, religion, neighbors, siblings, politics, etc.
Find his neighbors by studying the description of every parcel of land that he owned. Try to learn as much about his neighbors as possible.
If you own primary research, assume this to be true until you find out differently. Reconstruct and track the lives of the various same name people in question. Study the people, not just the names you are looking for..
There are some key principles to remember when researching collateral lines. First, names may change, particularly with women, but the relationships will remain, no matter how often the name changes.
The strongest kin ties appear between women. The most enduring bond occurs between mothers and their grown daughters. This means that you may find more information by looking for a different surname than the direct line you are researching. Ties to the wife's kin are generally stronger than those to husband's, unless male ties are crucial to the husband's occupation. It is therefore necessary to learn the occupation of your ancestor.
Social relationships among kin are not broken by geographic mobility. This is important because you may be looking in an area where the records have been destroyed. You may find your information from one that is geographically removed from the destruction.
Genealogical organizations and literature are based on surnames. Too often, female lines are neglected.
Be sure you understand the meaning of kinship terms in the period in which you are working. In colonial times, "in-law" referred to the relationships that we now call "step".
KINSHIP TERMS
Affinity - relationships which exist because of marital ties. The contemporary term for these relations is "in-laws."
Augmented family - extension of nuclear family to include people bound together by law, rather than blood; eg. half siblings, adopted children, step-parents, step-siblings, etc.
Aunt - in American society, this term can refer to a woman in four different relative positions: father's sister, mother's sister, father's brother's wife, mother's brother's wife.
Brother - in addition to obvious meaning may also include (1) the husband of one's sister (2) the brother of one's wife (3) the husband of one's sister-in-law, (3) half-brother (4) step-brother. Genealogists must also be aware "brother" may refer to a member of one's church.
Collateral family - referring to relatives who are "off to one side" i.e. not in the direct lineal ancestry, but who share a common ancestor. In western society, these people are called aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
Consanguinity - refers to persons who share common descent or biological heritage.
Cousin - very general term in American society referring to someone with whom you share a common ancestor. Can refer to a person occupying relationship on either mother or father's side; may also refer to someone related only by affinity. If this person is in a different generation, the term "removed" is used giving the number of generations apart.
Extended family - when families of more than two generations compose a household or relationship.
Full sibling - one who has the same biological mother and father (thus the same ancestry) as oneself A half sibling has one of the same parents (and therefore shares only one side of the lineage) as oneself.
In Law - in contemporary society, term used to designate someone to whom you are related by your own marriage or that of a sibling. In colonial society, this term also referred to relationships created by the marriage of a parent, currently called "step" relationships. Thus a "mother-in-law" in the 17th century, may have been a father's second wife.
Natural child - when the term "natural" is used the researcher should not jump to a conclusion that it denotes an illegitimate relationship. It is meant to indicate a relationship by blood rather than one by marriage or adoption. An illegitimate child may be called "my base son" or "my bastard son."
Nephew/Niece - one who is the child of a sibling (or a half-sibling, or step-sibling, or a spouse's sibling, or your spouse's spouse's sibling. Since the term derives from the Latin term, "nepos" meaning grandson, it is possible an early colonial reference may have this meaning.
"Now wife" - often assumed that the testator of a will with this term had a former wife. While this may be true, it is more likely the testator is indicating the bequest is intended only for his present wife and not necessarily to any subsequent wife he may have. Donald Lines Jacobus wrote, ".... it is to be doubted whether any other legal phrase has fooled so many of our most experienced genealogists."
Nuclear family - a family group consisting of mother, father and dependent children.
Step-sibling - one related by virtue of a parent's marriage to an individual with children by a former marriage or relationship. While no relation by blood, there can be strong ties of emotion and tradition between step-siblings.
Uncle - in American society this term can refer to a man in four different relative positions: father's brother; mother's brother; father's sister's husband; mother's sisters's husband.
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