Finding Clues to Female Ancestors in Naming Children

Names of children can offer clues to the mother's maiden name. If you have a family that repeats common first names from generation to generation, disregard this post. John, James, Mary and Sarah appearing in six consecutive generations probably won't help much.

If relatively uncommon names or names more commonly associated with being surnames appear, you may be on to something. For example:

Lucas Brady and his wife Alice have the following children:
Rebecca [f]
Lucas Jr. [m]
Carl [m]
Alice [f]
Walker [m]
Dale [f]
Thurman [m]

Walker, Dale and Thurman could be either given names or surnames. Search neighboring families for those three names - first and last.

If you come up with a Thurman Walker married to a woman named Rebecca in the census, investigate tat family! If they have a daughter Alice, you may have the right family. If the Walkers live next to Robert and Mary Dale, it may be time to celebrate. [Providing ages fit as parents or siblings.]

If an uncommon given name like Ebenezer shows up in 2-3 generations of a family, look for an Ebenezer who is old enough to be the father of the wife in the earliest generation.

Some families may have a mix of traditional and nontraditional given names that repeat themselves over a few generations. Look for that type of pattern to help with female ancestors.

My 3rd great-grandfather, Cornelius Prall, Jr., took "family naming to extremes. Had the maiden name of his wife, Elizabeth, not already been known, there were clues galore among the kids:
Susannah Baker
Garrison
Rebecca Garrison
Elizabeth Rittenhouse
Isaac Rittenhouse
Squire
Lucretia
John Rittenhouse
Asher Garrison
Ellis Free
Amy R.

Cornelius and Elizabeth named several of their children for family members:
Susannah Baker - Elizabeth's mother
Garrison - mother's maiden name
Rebecca Garrison - mother
Elizabeth Rittenhouse - we have Cornelius' wife's full name
Isaac Rittenhouse - Elizabeth's father
Squire, Lucretia, Ellis Free - ??
John Rittenhouse - Elizabeth's surname again
Asher Garrison - mother's maiden name again
Amy R. - suspect the R is for Rittenhouse

Not all couples are that accommodating!