naming customs

Naming patterns may provide important clues in family history research. People of all countries tend to name children after other family members, often using an unwritten, but traditional formula. In Ireland, as in many other countries, the first-born son was generally named after the paternal grandfather, and the first daughter after the maternal grandmother. This was an especially common practice during the 19th century and earlier. Surnames in some Scandinavian countries are indicative of a child's parentage - the Swedish surname Johannson, for example, indicates the "son of Johann." Surname endings can even indicate the country of origin. The -son ending mentioned above is typically Swedish, while -sen (Jensen) is more likely to be Danish or Norwegian.

Middle names can also provide wonderful clues to ancestry. Children have often been given the mother's maiden name as a middle name to identify their ancestral ties. Or they may have been named after an uncle, aunt, or other more distant relative. French families frequently gave the father's name to a girl by changing one or two letters to a feminine form. You'll often find such family-derived names handed down from generation to generation.

The next time your genealogy research comes to a standstill, try looking at family names for patterns - the answer may have been right under your nose all along.

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Maiden Names

To help your research, here are 10 things you may want to know about women’s maiden names

	French women often used their maiden names on official records and legal documents.
	Married women from Scandinavian countries customarily kept their maiden names, but should also be looked for under their husband’s surname.
	In the American colonial period, Dutch marriage contracts allowed women to preserve their maiden names and their individual legal status. But, after 1690, the Dutch colonists began adopting the English tradition of using the husband’s surname.
	In Europe, German and Polish Catholic women’s deaths were recorded using only their maiden names, not their married names.
	Spanish surnames are often dual names taken from the paternal name combined with the maternal name. Married Hispanic women always used their maiden names on legal documents. In other records, they should be searched for under both their maiden name and their husband’s legal name. The word “de” (for “spouse of”) may precede their husband’s surname when added to their own.
	Italian women used their maiden names on legal documents and in official records.
	Jewish family names ending with -s or -es are matronymic-derived from the name of a mother or wife.
	Quaker women often used their maiden name as a middle name after marriage.
	Scottish widows went back to using their maiden names after the death of their husbands.
	In parts of Wales, up to present times, it was a custom for some women to retain their maiden names after marriage.

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Naming Patterns in Different Countries and Cultures

Anatomy of a Surname
This article give the meaning of last names

Arabic Naming Practices
This article discusses the seven general categories into which Arabic naming practices fall as well as provides lists of given names, cognomens and a bibliography.

British Surnames: Localities, Occupations, Nicknames
A brief overview of early British naming practices from Family Chronicle.

Byzantine Naming Practices
An excellent article on naming practices and name structures in the Byzantine era of the Roman Empire.

Chinese Personal Names
Explanation of Chinese naming practices covers the traditions surrounding the use of surnames and personal names in China.

Common Czech Names of the 15th and 16th Centuries
A list of common masculine and feminine Czech names from the 15th and 16th centuries compiled from several sources.

Dutch First Names & Naming Patterns
Dutch first names can be confusing for foreigners. Nevertheless some knowledge of the naming patterns can be helpful during your genealogical research.

Finnish Surnames
Curious about how your Finnish ancestor received their name? This tutorial covers the patronymic naming system, farm names, and additional information on Finnish naming practices.

18th Century PA German Naming Customs
German naming customs and patterns in Pennsylvania.

Irish Naming Patterns
This site includes common Irish names.

Jewish Naming Practices
This paper uses the naming conventions adopted by the Jews of Medieval England (c.1070 - 1290) as a way of generalizing the rules of period Jewish naming. Includes a list of Jewish names.

Latin American Surnames
Advice about choosing an Hispanic baby name

Lithuanian Surnames
An explanation of common naming practices in Lithuania.

Medieval Russia - Names and Naming Practices
Links to several resources for medieval Russian names including a dictionary of period Russian Names and a discussion of medieval Russian naming practices.

Naming Customs Found in Poland
This helpful page on the Poland GenWeb page summarizes naming customs found in Poland including Polish, German, Ukranian and Jewish naming customs.

Norwegian Naming Patterns
An article on naming patterns and names in Norway by historian Johan I. Borgos, a Norwegian native.

Norwegian Naming Practices
A brief description of Norwegian naming practices, with examples.

PA German Naming Customs - 18th Century
Excellent information for individuals researching 18th Century Pennsylvania-German names and records by Charles F. Kerchner.

Polish Surnames
Basic information on how Polish surnames originated and what typical patterns they follow.

Roman Naming Practices
A simple guide to classical Roman naming practices by Sara L. Friedemann.

Scandanavian Naming Practices
Information and links to sites with more information on Swedish naming practices as well as Norse, Danish and Finish names.

Scottish Naming Patterns
General rules on Scottish Naming traditions.

Swedish Naming Practices in Earlier Times
A wonderful site full of information and examples of early Swedish naming practices, including patronymic names, clergy, nobility, craftsman, children born out of wedlock, and emigrants.

Urhobo Names and Their Meanings
A tutorial on names and their meanings for the Urhobo people from Nigeria, courtesy of the Urhobo Historical Society.

Vietnamese Names
An explanation of Vietnamese naming practices.

Welsh late 16th century names
An explanation of the Welsh patronymic naming system (where the children of a marriage took their Father's forename as their surname) with examples and a list of common Patronymic surnames found in Wales today.

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