Posts in May 5, 2025

Repeated names can be clues to an ancestral name in an earlier generation. A clue–which is not the same thing as a fact. I realized in researching one ancestor that they had several first cousins who had the same middle name that they had. It was not proof that there was a family connection to someone with that name. It’s not evidence that they had a connection to someone with that name. It’s a clue. The name’s use could be due to a family connection. The name’s use could be because it was popular to use during the time. It could be the name of a person popular during the time whose name has fallen from use. It could be a coincidence. It’s up to the researcher to […]