October 20, 2023
Like most genealogists, I’ve often used surnames to learn more about my ancestors. Until recently, I’d never thought about using these names to advance my genealogical searches.
My viewpoint changed when I ran across the book American Given Names by George R. Stewart. The book was published in 1979, but it still provides insights into how and why Americans gave their children the names they did during the last four hundred years. These insights can help determine where a family may have originated as well as what religion they may have practiced.
The book begins with a section called “Historical Sketch” which traces the history of naming patterns beginning with the Anglo-Saxons and continuing up until the middle part of the twentieth century. It covers topics including the history of the use of middle names, the beginning of the use of family names as given names, and the historical revivals and declines of traditional names.
The biggest section of the book is a dictionary of many common American names from the earliest European settlers up until the 1950s. The history of names is given as well as nicknames and degree of use of the name today.
For genealogists, the book is especially applicable. If you have Puritan ancestors, you may have wondered at the odd names they were given. Names such as Hezekiah and Asenath sound odd to a modern ear. However, they were relatively common in the 1700s when Old Testament names were often used in New England.
Other names were usually only bestowed by members of specific religions. For example, the name Peter had a strong connection to Catholicism and was seldom used in Protestant areas. Finding an ancestor named Peter in early New England should spur further research to determine whether the family may have had a Catholic background.
Non-genealogists will also find the book interesting reading, particularly if they have never known the history of their own name. For example, I have a sister named Nancy. None of us had ever known that Nancy was a nickname for Agnes. Today Nancy is a distinct name, but in earlier times it was a nickname, not a separate given name.
American Given Names is apparently out of print, but used copies can be ordered from Amazon or other online booksellers such as Abe Books. Many libraries also have copies. The local Poudre Valley District Library does not have a copy, but I was able to borrow one through Prospector. You can also check with Worldcat.org to see what libraries have copies of the book. You can then use interlibrary loan to borrow it. The book is well worth the effort to obtain a copy.
Carol Stetser
Researcher