England Origins of Given Names (National Institute)

Battles, Heroes and Royal Events
The battles of Trafalgar (1805), Maida (1806), Alma, Balaclava, Inkermann fought in the Crimea (1854), and the surrender of Kimberley, Mafeking, and Pretoria in the Boer War (1900) were commemorated, especially by soldiers who were there, in the names of children born in those years. There was a virtual explosion of Horatio’s and Horatia’s after Nelson’s exploits during the Napoleonic Wars, and a somewhat lesser number of children named after Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. Strangely, during Victoria’s reign there were few girls so endowed, perhaps she was viewed with too much awe? However, her consort Albert’s name suddenly became popular after the 1851 exhibition that he masterminded, and after his premature death in 1861 the name Victor was also taken up with vigour. Jubilee was given as a name in 1887 and 1897 when Victoria had achieved 50 and 60 years on the throne, respectively.

Incidents at Birth
Girls born in the months of April, May and June may have been so named, and Christmas babies could be named Noel(le) and Natalie. I have a great uncle called Yule born on the 25th of December. People have been named after songs that were playing as they were born, or even Sirene during an air-raid warning siren! In 1975 an American boy was named Bill because he arrived on the last day of the month!

It was not uncommon for babies born at sea to receive the name of the ship as one of their given names. In 1863 a girl named Amazon Seaborn HARRIS was born on the Mormon emigrant sailing ship Amazon as she travelled from London to New York. The position at sea may also be remembered in the name as in the case of Sylvia Hope Evans, born on the ship Sylvia when off the Cape of Good Hope (Wright). Dolphin Mercy Smith was born during a very rough passage of the ship Dolphin to Australia in 1860. Other ship names discovered are Berengaria, Exeter, Pilgrim, Tremendous, and birth at sea has resulted in babies being called Atlantic, Marina, Neptune, Oceanus, Seamercy and even Sou’wester. Some of these names have other possible sources, so the genealogist needs to keep an open mind. Boys born at sea were often given the captain’s first name.

Cases are known of a Serena who received her name because she appeared so serene at birth, and a Daniel because he looked like a judge. My own uncle Frank received the middle name Peter because the neighbour said he looked just like Peter Pan.

Rank and Status Given Names
Some surnames were derived from words for rank and status of individuals. Inevitably, these surnames were later bestowed upon some descendants as given names, or may have been acquired as given names for other reasons. Some examples are Abbot, Bishop, King, Lord, Prince, and Squire and some confusion can be caused if these names are misinterpreted by the researcher. These types of names are repeated in the International Genealogical Index (IGI) to indicate the possibility for incorrect interpretation, as in Brown, Lord Lord for a child named Lord Brown, or Ramsden, Squire Squire for one called Squire Ramsden. The original record should be consulted for further clarification and a family reconstruction may be necessary. One such entry, where the son is simply being christened with his father’s given name as his middle name, reads:

Gypsy Given Names
Sharon Sillers Floate (My Ancestors Were Gypsies) has provided a guide for distinguishing possible gypsy ancestors by their usage of unusual given names. Although many have been used by other groups, some of these names are quite fanciful and peculiar to gypsy society. General categories (with examples from Floate) include:


 * The place of birth e.g. Shipton, Fambridge
 * A landmark near the place of birth e.g. Evergreen, Reservoir

Surnames used as given names e.g. Mackenzie, Saunders


 * Historical events or figures e.g. Crimea, Plato
 * Ancient names from Mediaeval or Norman eras e.g. Hamelen, Oti
 * Rare biblical names e.g. Repentance, Trinity
 * Attractive-sounding names, whatever their meaning e.g. Aluminium, Scarlatina
 * Unusual abbreviations of conventional given names e.g. Rabi for Herbert, Liti for Lydia

Floate provides a list of many others and also notes the common use of diminutives, like Johna for ‘little John’, and other nicknames, such as Longsnout John, to distinguish those bearing the same names. Finding a family on a census with a combination of such names is a strong clue to gypsy ancestry.

Black Given Names
Susan Pearl (Britain’s Black African Ancestors. Family Tree Magazine Vol 11 #12, pages 11-12) states that black people have lived continuously in England since 1555, which is actually longer than they have been in North America (1619). During the course of research in England occasional references will be seen to negroes, moors or blacks typically with either biblical or strange Greek and Roman names such as Caesar, Pompey, Scipio, Socrates and Zeno. Their surnames are unlikely to be remarkable, and there may not be a mention of their skin colour, but they are usually baptized in their late teens or twenties with no parents listed, and most are in or near slave ports such as Bristol, Liverpool and London.

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Information in this Wiki page is excerpted from the online course English - Understanding Names in Genealogy offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. To learn more about this course or other courses available from the Institute, see our website. We can be contacted at [mailto:wiki@genealogicalstudies.com wiki@genealogicalstudies.com]

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