Hi,
The following is from "The Surnames of Wales" by John and Sheila Rowlands.
"A factor in the constant reproduction of a small pool of names was the
traditional practice of naming children after grandparents and other close
relations, common until the mid-nineteenth century at least in most
families, not only in Wales. In many areas of Wales this took the form
whereby a couple's first son received his paternal grandfather's forename,
the second son took the maternal grandfather's forename; the first daughter
received the maternal grandmother's name, the second daughter the paternal
grandmother's name; the names of the parents and of uncles and aunts were
then honoured. This procedure was not inevitable and one finds examples of
recently deceased relations being commemorated out of turn. The general
practice of naming after close relations may help sometimes in identifying
and distinguishing between families."
In my research I have found two children with the same name in a family and
after further research have concluded that the first child died and a later
one given the same name.
I had a look on the 1881 Census for Wales to see if I could find anyone with
the forenames you listed. I did find one Lion with the surname Benn but he
was born in Germany and living in Pembroke. I wondered if it could be Lynn
but there was only one male with the name on the 1881 Census in Wales so it
must be a modern name.
Lane appears in my Dictionary of First Names and is Old English from the
surname Lane but I think it is very unusual.
I hope the above helps.
Regards,
Margaret Harvey
----- Original Message -----
From: "jacqueline Archibald" <h.j.arch(a)ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <WALES-GEN-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 10:06 PM
Subject: [WALES-GEN] Welsh Naming Pattern
Hello: I am new to the list and wondered if there is a naming
pattern
in Welsh families eg. lst. son after father's father, first daughter
after Mother's mother, etc.?
Also, can anyone help with a first name which I have found on documents
as "Lain", "Lian", "Lion" - does this sound like a possible
Welsh
name? As the surname is JONES, I haven't had much luck so far and
have no idea where they came from in Wales. Just thought the first
name might give some possible clue.
Thank you.
Jacqueline
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