Family middle names

Looking for Scottish Ancestors

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paulpesda
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:24 pm

Family middle names

Post by paulpesda » Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:28 pm

Looking through my McNaughton family from around 1800 onwards, the children's names seem to be adopting unusual middle names, that suggest they could be the name of the father's employer, or landlord, or Laird. I've certainly seen this in the more recent generations where the name 'Barbour', 'Graham' and 'Gordon' have been adopted. But in this 1800 generation, I have 'Jardine', 'Elder', 'Baird' and 'Robertson'.

Has anybody else seen this, or know if this was usual practice?

Thanks.
Paul

paddyscar
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Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 7:56 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Family middle names

Post by paddyscar » Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:14 pm

Hi Paul:

I have seen some where the minister/doctor/patron or employer have been given that honour. I am the one and only in my family to have been given a middle name - fraternal grandmother's maiden name -- Lipsett. The only benefit to that, is that it was easy to locate.

If you look to the left of the blue banner above, there is a search box. I entered unusual middle names and there were 69 links to previous discussions, which may give you some thoughts about why, and how others have solved their questions.

Hope this will help,

Frances
John Kelly (b 22 Sep 1897) eldest child of John Kelly & Christina Lipsett Kelly of Glasgow

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