Re: Middle Names

Morning Laurent

My full name is Alexander Lockhart Simpson Dow; and I am the 5th holder in 4 generations.

The 2nd holder born in 1864, died at 18 months; and the full-blown name without modification was used for another male birth with the same parents, in 1872, this being my grandfather Dow and 3rd holder.

The 1st holder was my great-grandfather Dow born in 1839.

The ALS part "comes out of the blue", with no obvious previous family lines to link in.

===========================

About 4 years back, a lady contacted me, suggesting that the ALS components may have derived from a Minister, living in the same area at the time and being born in that area, although after graduating as a minister, he had served churches some 40 to 60 miles away generally.

By 1839, this minister was back in home territory and as my family generations of that era were highly involved in the local kirk/church - being Elders etc, probably "adopted" the name in honour of that minister, who in 1845 was Moderator of the General Assembly of the (presbyterian) Church of Scotland, relatively shortly after the Great Disruption.

===============================

I have noted a similar situation with a family in Perth.

The parents were missionaries in India, with some early children born there, plus some later children born in Perth.

Except for the one I am about to mention, all the rest had typically Scottish names.

The exception, born in Perth had of course, the tyoically Scottish surname - BUT his other/given names were 2pure Indian", after a notable Indian leader who visited Britain about that time; and was probably known to the parents.

===============================

Another source shows up in my maternal line, using the names of employers and their children.

My earliest traced Tant ancestor, was John Tant (m Henrietta xxx, both English), employed by Alexander Fraser of Inchcoulter and Balconie as his Butler.

John and Henrietta named one of their male children EVAN BAILLIE FRASER Tant, after AF's only son. the nearby village of Evanton is also named for this son.

Two other so-far unconnected TANT lines from England, show up in the same area at about the same time, 1820s and 1830s.

Amongst other names, EBFT shows up as a name in later generations to the extent there is an EBFT living in Edinburgh today.

This cross-fertilisation of names clearly suggests that all three TANT lines are related - BUT NO DOCUMENTARY PROOF, only family lore in addition to the naming patterns; and William Tant succeeding my John Tant as Butler to AF.

Two males Tants from separate lines, married sisters PLUMMER in Edinburgh, again suggesting connections. So it is relatively easy to prove PLUMMER connections through those sisters for two of the lines - but nothing to prove the likely Tant connections.

For a fuller description-

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?early,tants::tant::265.htmlhttp://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?early,tants::tant::265.html

My ancestor John, moved on to Cromarty as an Inn Keeper; and it is there that a third Tant line stems from another John Tant (m Hannah Aldred 1820 London) who was a Vintner or Wine Supplier.

The third line stems from William Tant of Pancras London, who first appears in the Scottish records as BUTLER to the SAME AF, February 1834; then in Novemebr that year, joins the Excise Service.

So yet another suggestion that all three were related, having connected and/or same occupations.

Alex Dow