January 07, 1999

Given Names Upon the Family Tree

by Myra Vanderpool Gormley, C.G.

Once upon a time it was common for couples to bestow virtually hereditary first names on their children. These were names passed on from generation to generation, and in days when large families were the norm, cousins in each generation often bore the same names. It can be a genealogical challenge to untangle them.

What's in a name? For genealogists, they sometimes are important clues to ethnic origins and to the religious, educational and social backgrounds of ancestors. However, given names often reflect what was fashionable or popular.

From the first immigrants to this country -- mostly English, with a sprinkling of Dutch, French, Scandinavian, Irish, Spanish, Jewish, Italian, Polish, and African -- to today's multi-ethnic families from around the world, our given names often reflect the nation's rich and diverse heritage.

Popular given names in America in the 17th century were John, William, Edward, Richard, Thomas and Joseph for boys. Most girls were named Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Hannah, Abigail, Rebecca, Ruth, Lydia, Anne, or Martha. Additionally, biblical names for both sexes were popular.

Toward the end of the 17th century there was a heavy immigration of Germans into Pennsylvania and a bit later into the Carolinas. They are credited with popularizing the use of two given names. Popular names were Michael, Christian, Daniel, Barbara, Katherine, and Veronica.

The Scots and Scotch-Irish also were influential in shaping American name patterns. Among their favorites for boys were James, Andrew, Alexander, and Archibald. In the 18th century, classical names for girls, such as Lucretia, Cynthia, and Lavina were in vogue. More parents began to use middle names. Among female names, Nancy, Sally, and Betsy became used as independent names, not as nicknames.

The 19th century was a restless period in American history. In addition to the Civil War, there was a heavy immigration of non-English-speaking people, great internal migration, and the economic chaos of the Industrial Revolution. A tendency developed to "Americanize'' foreign-sounding given names.

Civil War heroes provided many names for our ancestors -- Robert E. Lee or a combination of his name is borne by many of our Southern male ancestors. The names Stonewall Jackson and Jeb, for J.E.B. Stuart, also became popular. In the northern and western states, Lincoln and Grant became common given names.

While parents often named a son for the father, and the use of "Junior'' flourished, many boys were named for well-known local and national figures. Every genealogist whose families were in America by this time stumbles across relatives with such names as George Washington Smith, Daniel Boone Williams, or Francis Marion Jones. Baby girls were frequently named for states, with Missouri, Georgia, Tennessee, and California being especially popular.

Daughters born in the late 1800s and early 1900s were often named for flowers or precious stones. Perhaps you've discovered ancestors named Rose, Lily, Ivy, Violet, Iris, Hazel, Ruby, Pearl, or Opal. Men born during in this period often were given their mother's maiden name as a given name, although this practice was fairly common in Virginia in the 1700s.

To learn more about the origin and meanings of given names found in your family, see what your local library has on the subject, such as "American Given Names'' by George R. Stewart, "What's in a Name'' by Leonard R. N. Ashley, and "The Guinness Book of Names'' by Leslie Dunkling. Also, many "name your baby'' books are helpful.