Curious ancestral forenames.

[Osweo]

http://www.gwra.co.uk/Album%20Nov%2009/WEBCAT%20IMAGES/65.JPG is the best I've found so far. My 4xGreat Grandad, a butcher from Newcastle Upon Tyne. :)

Anyone got better?

[Æscwyn]

My great grandfather was called Wyness. No idea exactly where my gg grandmother got the name from, but people always say it sounds Scottish, which would make sense since my gg grandmother is known to have been in a relationship with a married Scottish doctor at the time. Wyness was a bastard in the old fashioned sense. :P

[Odoacer]

My 2nd great grandaunt, Zarilda (or Zerelda, or Sarilda, or Serelda, depending on the record), has the most unusual name by far of anyone in my family tree. Of my direct ancestors, my grandmother & great grandmother, who were both named Melba; & my 5th great grandfather, Noahiah.

[Amapola]

MATAMOROS

[The Journeyman]

Ahh forename...

[Bridie]

All of my ancestors that I've seen so far have had very ordinary, boring English forenames. :(

Some of the middle names have often seemed odd though, because, especially prior to about 1900 or so, it appears that it was common practice in England for maiden names of mothers to be used as a middle name for their newborns or less commonly, the birthplace of the mother or father or a beloved grandparent as a middle name.

I have a Great-Great Grandfather who was named Arthur Medloe Mortimore... the Medloe bit seems to have been derived from Medlow, Hampshire, the place of his mother's birth. (Arthur was born in Turville, Buckinghamshire.)

I wonder how many of these odd sounding forenames that you English fellows have found in your family trees have been the result of babies being named after their mum's maiden surnames or birthplace names relevant to close family members of theirs.... My guess is, quite a few.

Could apply to some countries outside of England too, I'm not sure.

[Lábaru]

Perhaps Roland (my Grandfather), is not a very common surname in Spain.

[Allenson]

I have a female ancestor on my maternal grandfather's side who was named Arpha Ingersoll.

Also, many of my English Puritan ancetors had odd forenames such as Deliverance, Mehitable, Dorcas, Freegift, etc.

[leisitox]

bedrik (my grandfather) :D

[Logan]

http://www.gwra.co.uk/Album%20Nov%2009/WEBCAT%20IMAGES/65.JPG
Anyone got better?

Lead actors surname in the credits.

M7OekQOkeN0





Myself; a surname used as a second forename, Hale.

Mortimore? :eek: :coffee:

[Osweo]

All of my ancestors that I've seen so far have had very ordinary, boring English forenames. :(
Oh, I know what you mean. I've got LEGIONS of Johns and Thomases. Never again, say I! :D Oslacs, Hunfriths and Uhtreds from now on... ;)


Some of the middle names have often seemed odd though, because, especially prior to about 1900 or so, it appears that it was common practice in England for maiden names of mothers to be used as a middle name for their newborns or less commonly, the birthplace of the mother or father or a beloved grandparent as a middle name.
Good point. It's happened a few times with my known ancestors. One time was especially useful in proving a supposed relation; Tom Shields was down on his marriage certificate as 'Thomas Miles Stringer Shields', thereby proving that his mam was Ellen Stringer, and that his grandad was the Miles Shields that we suspected. :)
(probably the most pretentious railway tin-plate cutter in all of Harpurhey, too! (Not too far from your Middleton, come to think of it))

[Peasant]

One line I followed in my ancestry to around 1820 with ease. Most of them had the same forename, middle name and surname. I think maybe one of them had a different name, because it was his brother who got the name before/after him. :D

Nothing interesting as of yet. :(

[rhiannon]

Lulu. That was the first name of my great grandmother on my mother's father's side. Not sure if I spelled it the way she did.

[María G]

great great grandparents surnames include only the strange ones: Aramo and Lamata.

[Æscwyn]

Anyone know when 'Pamela' first came into common English usage? Only I have a third great grandmother whose name appears differently on every census (which made researching that line a pain in the bum) - Pamellia, Pameila, Pamilia, you name it. Never written as just plain old 'Pamela' though. :D

[Logan]

'The name was invented in the late 16th century by poet Sir Philip Sidney. A character was given this name in his poem "Arcadia". Pamela was the heroine in was later used in 1740 as Pamela was the title heroine in Samuel Richardson's 1740 novel, Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded.'

Bing

Seems a Greek/English combination.

I, a brother and as well two sisters are from Cornwall by way of Devon. My parents named one daughter Ella and another Pamela.

[Electronic God-Man]

Tons of Puritan English forenames like Nehemiah (http://www.behindthename.com/name/nehemiah), Ezekiel, Rhoda (http://www.behindthename.com/name/rhoda), Zaccheus, Obadiah (http://www.behindthename.com/name/obadiah), Elkanah (http://www.behindthename.com/name/elkanah), Elnathan (http://www.behindthename.com/name/elnathan), Eleazer (http://www.behindthename.com/name/eleazar), Ephraim (http://www.behindthename.com/name/ephraim), Keturah (http://www.behindthename.com/name/keturah), Jairus (http://www.behindthename.com/name/jairus), Jerusha (http://www.behindthename.com/name/jerusha), Amon (http://www.behindthename.com/name/amon) (Egyptian!?, more likely from Amon of Judah), Barnabas (http://www.behindthename.com/name/barnabas), Bathsheba (http://www.behindthename.com/name/bathsheba), Peleg (http://www.behindthename.com/name/peleg), Freelove...even a "Thank Ye"! Some classical names in there too, such as Ovid, Sylvanus, and Amphilis.

Omie: Name of a Norman French colonist. Maybe not that odd for French, but sounds simply Medieval. Anyone know what name this is a shortened form of?

Rexford: My grandpa.

Kunigunda: The name of an ancestress of one of my PA Dutch ancestors. This one sounds heathen.


Kunigunde, Kunigunda or Cunigunde is a European female name of German origin. It is derived from kuni (clan, family) and gund (war).

RaHoWa!!

[Odoacer]

Kunigunda: The name of an ancestress of one of my PA Dutch ancestors. This one sounds heathen.

It's related to Candide's Lady Cunégonde. It's also the name of a Christian saint (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cunigunde_of_Luxembourg). ;)

[Electronic God-Man]

It's related to Candide's Lady Cunégonde. It's also the name of a Christian saint (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cunigunde_of_Luxembourg). ;)

It's clearly a much older name than those examples. I just meant to say it sounds very ancient Germanic, to my ears.

[Odoacer]

It's clearly a much older name than those examples. I just meant to say it sounds very ancient Germanic, to my ears.

Oh yes, of course! Just thought I'd mention a couple other examples. :thumb001:

[BiałaZemsta]

My Great-Great-Grandfather was Adolf.

[Osweo]

Freelove...even a "Thank Ye"! :clap: Middle name 'Kindly'? :p



Some classical names in there too, such as Ovid, Sylvanus, and Amphilis.
Weren't they typically given to negro slaves? :sherlock:


Omie: Name of a Norman French colonist. Maybe not that odd for French, but sounds simply Medieval. Anyone know what name this is a shortened form of?
I don't KNOW, but on reflection, might it be a short form of GuillAUME (Willliam)???? :chin:

Even if the French don't shorten it like that, his new nieghbours MAY have done.


Kunigunda: The name of an ancestress of one of my PA Dutch ancestors. This one sounds heathen.
Wow, I'm jealous. I dare say I'd have to dig back into the Twelfth century for one like that! :D

[Electronic God-Man]

:clap: Middle name 'Kindly'? :p

Last name was Lord! Thank Ye Lord!



Weren't they typically given to negro slaves? :sherlock:

Down South, yes. In the north, not just them. These guys were from Massachusetts!


I don't KNOW, but on reflection, might it be a short form of GuillAUME (Willliam)???? :chin:

Even if the French don't shorten it like that, his new nieghbours MAY have done.

Good point! Hadn't thought of it.



Wow, I'm jealous. I dare say I'd have to dig back into the Twelfth century for one like that! :D

Kunigunda Leysen was born in Rosenberg, Baden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenberg,_Baden) around 1611. Married a guy named Caspar. I need to convince any future wife that this would be a good name for a daughter.

[Foxy]

An ancestor of mine was called Olimpia.

[María G]

An ancestor of mine was called Olimpia.

A friend of a cousin of mine is named Olimpia!

[Foxy]

A friend of a cousin of mine is named Olimpia!

Also a dog of one of my neighbour but it's pretty rare in Italy. Other strange mames recorder in my family are Aida and Monia.

[Amapola]

Also a friend of mine :O

[Bard]

A female ancestor of mine was named Clorinda, which is pretty uncommon since it's not even a real forename, infact it was coined by an italian writer during renaissance.
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Clorinda

[Angharad]

I have some unusual names in my family's past. Many of the Puritan names already mentioned here, also Azariah, Shubael, plus two unrelated Uzel's. Then there are the non-Puritans Yelverton and Willielmus.

Then there are the Dutch, whose forenames are impossible for me to pronounce, the men aren't so difficult, Pieter is almost exactly Peter, and I can almost pronounce Teuwis, but the women? Dirckje, Tryntje, Eytje, Nelletjen or Catalyntje? I try not to talk about them because I have no idea how to say their names. :|

[Trog]

I have the surname Nocca somewhere in my paternal side. Can mainly only find an Italian reference, but I have also seen a Gaelic reference somewhere too.

[Treffie]

Just a couple from my Welsh side.

Afanen - raspberry

Iago - it's Welsh also

Ianto

Gŵlythin - dewdrop

[Electronic God-Man]

Kunigunda: The name of an ancestress of one of my PA Dutch ancestors. This one sounds heathen.

I just came across another odd one: Urdde Chapin who was born in Totnes, Devon around 1540. I haven't been able to find out what the origin of the name "Urdde" is.

[Matritensis]

My father's mother was called Hipólita.Not the most common in Spain.

[Treffie]

I just came across another odd one: Urdde Chapin who was born in Totnes, Devon around 1540. I haven't been able to find out what the origin of the name "Urdde" is.

Urdd means `youth` in Welsh, so I'm wondering if his parents were Welsh?

[Electronic God-Man]

Urdd means `youth` in Welsh, so I'm wondering if his parents were Welsh?

It was a she. And yeah, it must be that someone was Welsh then. Actually, Chapin was her husband's name. I don't know her maiden name. She may very well have been completely Welsh.

Thanks. :)

[Barreldriver]

Well, my great gramps (lineal) was named Talford Mainous.

[Barreldriver]

I wonder how many of these odd sounding forenames that you English fellows have found in your family trees have been the result of babies being named after their mum's maiden surnames or birthplace names relevant to close family members of theirs.... My guess is, quite a few.



My folks still practice this act, not so much as was done in old times but it still happens.