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 utilize clues for what they are: clues—and not accept them as fact.
One response
You are right on regarding middle names. I was looking for my mother-in-law’s first marriage. I knew only the last name as Harder. After several years of looking I found her marriage license. She had used her middle name as her first name. I have not found any other place where she used her middle name. Why she did at that time