Sunday, May 9, 2010

What is in a name....part 2

Irish Naming Pattern

1st son=father's father
2nd son=mother's father
3rd son=father
4th son=father's eldest brother
5th son=mother's eldest brother

1st daughter=mother's mother
2nd daughter=father's mother
3rd daughter= mother
4th daughter =mother's eldest sister
5th daughter=father's eldest sister

If the father remarries after the death of his first wife the first daughter to the new union is often named for the first wife.

If a child dies young the name is often used for the next child of the same sex, thus honoring the child is named for.

The Irish used this pattern into the 20th century; especially those families who came over from the potato famine.



Dutch Naming Pattern

Van is Dutch Von is German

1st son= fathers father
2nd son= mother's father
3rd son= father

1st daughter= mother's mother
2nd daughter= father's mother
3rd daughter= mother

The Dutch sometimes named daughter's after grandfathers using feminine versions of a name.

Sometimes when a mother's family is more prominent mother's names would be used first.

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