Michael John Neill's genealogy website. Things that cross my path, general research suggestions, and whatever else ...with a little bit of attitude. I don't post "news" just to post it, never post a press release (edited or otherwise), don't feign excitement, and pretty much say what I think.
22 March 2007
Naming Patterns...
Have you thought about where your ancestor got the first names of all their children? While some families break the rules just to confuse us, many obtained names of their children from other relatives. Keep in mind the potential that a child was named for a parent, grandparent, or ancestral sibling. Our article Named for Whom? discusses naming patterns and issues one must be aware of when using these tendencies in research. Naming patterns are clues, clues, clues, not fact, fact, fact.