The Maine Highland Games were a rousing success. We had fine weather, excellent music, good food and good friends all in one place. Who could ask for more? We hope you all enjoyed the Games as much as we did and look forward to seeing you next year!
Answering all those genealogy questions got me to thinking about Scottish names. More specifically, Scottish naming patterns/practice.
Here's a general rule of thumb to consider when researching a specific person in your family:
- First son is named for the Father's Father.
- Second son is named for the Mother's Father.
- Third son is named for the Father's Father's Father.
- Fourth son is named for the Mother's Mother's Father.
- Fifth son is named for the Father's Mother's Father.
- Sixth son is named for the Mother's Father's Father.
- Seventh through Tenth sons are named for the Father's Great-Grandfathers.
- Tenth through Fourteenth sons for the Mother's Great-Grandfathers.
- First daughter is named for the Mother's Mother.
- Second daughter is named for the Father's Mother.
- Third daughter is named for the Mother's Father's Mother.
- Fourth daughter is named for the Father's Father's Mother.
- Fifth daughter is named for the Mother's Mother's Mother.
- Sixth daughter is named for the Father's Mother's Mother.
- Seventh through tenth daughters are named for the Mother's Great-Grandmothers.
- Tenth through fourteenth daughters for the Father's Great-Grandmothers.
Sometimes you will find that the order is reversed with the first and second children, i.e. the first-born son being named after the mother's father and the second-born son after the father's father. If this is the case then the daughters are also usually reversed.
You will also find instances where a child is named 'out of pattern', after an aunt or uncle who has died, or after an admired other relative or friend of the parent. If a child died in infancy, his or her name was often given to a subsequent child - a natural consequence of the high birth rate and infant mortality rates of past times.
It's important to remember that these are general guidelines and not every family followed them. However this pattern is frequent enough that if you are aware of it, the pattern can be used to break through some genealogy "brick walls". For instance, if you know that the first born son was usually named after the Father's Father, then you know to take a look for that name in the appropriate time period and location. If you use this approach on all of the children's names, you will have given yourself more avenues of research and increased your chances of locating that elusive ancestor.
Good luck and good (ancestor) hunting!
Slainte, Dianne
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