What's in a name ?

[demure57]

Whilst searching the 1841 census on Freecen for one of my in-laws, I came across a blacksmith in Ayrshire
called Primrose Parker !
After rubbing my eyes, I thought it must be a misprint, or mis-reading of the original.
But, further down the page is his 5 year-old son, also called Primrose.
I double checked the marriage records on SP, and there he was, Primrose Parker.
My first thought was, wow, he must have taken some stick from the other blacksmiths in the area.
But then I remembered the 1970's wrestler called "Big Daddy", who's real name was Shirley Crabtree.

Anyone else find odd regional names on their travels ??

[trish1]

Could it be the last name of a maternal ancestor? That's where I have come across Primrose as a male given name.

Trish

[garibaldired]

Bob Wilson, the ex-Arsenal goalkeeper, had the middle name Primrose as that was his (Scottish) mother's maiden name.


Meg

[demure57]

Yeah...My own sister Davina, had the middle name Malcolm, and that was a maternal surname.
Primrose the blacksmith and his son are definately christian names, though.

[WilmaM]

The fashions and customs in names has changed over the years - how many female Taylors do you know? our tiny school recently had 2 or 3, pity the 1 poor boy of that name.

I had a quick freecen check and there were 17 male Primroses to 43 females - so not altogether uncommon.

The 'latest' trend is for initials not names - T-J isn't out of the ordinary any more [how will we search for him in a hundred years?]

[apanderson]

I've come across a few women's first names which made me 'double-take'.

Amongst them are Graham, Nicholas, Mitchell, McGregor and Falconer.

I've lost count of the females called male names with an 'Ina' or 'Ena' stuck of the end (Jamesina, Andrewina etc.,)

Anne