Enhance Your Research: Understand Worldwide Naming Patterns
From MyHeritage Blog, by Easter, May,2016, Guest Post
This is a guest post by genealogist James L. Tanner, a retired trial attorney from Arizona now living in Utah.
He is the author of two popular genealogy blogs,Genealogy’s Star and Rejoice, and be exceeding glad.
With over 30 years of genealogy experience, he currently volunteers at the Brigham Young University Family History Library in Provo, Utah.
Not too long ago, MyHeritage.com opened a major genealogical door for many researchers with its new Global Name Translation Technology.
Quoting from the product announcement, “The technology automatically translates the names found in historical records and family trees from one language into another, at very high accuracy, generating all plausible translations, to facilitate matches between names in different languages.” See, New Feature: Global Name Translation™ Technology.
This technology is highly beneficial because many given names and surnames have equivalents in various languages.
But even with this valuable help from MyHeritage.com, it is still important to understand the basic naming patterns in the country or countries where your ancestors lived. . .
This is a guest post by genealogist James L. Tanner, a retired trial attorney from Arizona now living in Utah.
He is the author of two popular genealogy blogs,Genealogy’s Star and Rejoice, and be exceeding glad.
With over 30 years of genealogy experience, he currently volunteers at the Brigham Young University Family History Library in Provo, Utah.
Not too long ago, MyHeritage.com opened a major genealogical door for many researchers with its new Global Name Translation Technology.
Quoting from the product announcement, “The technology automatically translates the names found in historical records and family trees from one language into another, at very high accuracy, generating all plausible translations, to facilitate matches between names in different languages.” See, New Feature: Global Name Translation™ Technology.
This technology is highly beneficial because many given names and surnames have equivalents in various languages.
But even with this valuable help from MyHeritage.com, it is still important to understand the basic naming patterns in the country or countries where your ancestors lived. . .
The Ove C. Ovesen Family
As genealogists, if we are not acquainted with our ancestors’ naming patterns, we may not understand the documentation of birth, marriage, and even death records and fail to identify our ancestors correctly or record the information obtained properly.
Naming patterns involve the method by which children acquire their given names and family names. In most European countries today, a child receives either the paternal or maternal surname (family name) or both.
Within the family unit, where surnames are used, family members are identified by having the same surname.
Because this practice has become so prevalent, new researchers sometimes make the mistake of assuming that everyone with the same surname must be related.
In Western European countries, the surname is usually the last name in the person’s entire, formal name. However, in China, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, Taiwan, Vietnam, and parts of India, the family name is written as the first name of the individual.
For example, Ho Ming would be Mr. Ho in English
Naming patterns involve the method by which children acquire their given names and family names. In most European countries today, a child receives either the paternal or maternal surname (family name) or both.
Within the family unit, where surnames are used, family members are identified by having the same surname.
Because this practice has become so prevalent, new researchers sometimes make the mistake of assuming that everyone with the same surname must be related.
In Western European countries, the surname is usually the last name in the person’s entire, formal name. However, in China, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, Taiwan, Vietnam, and parts of India, the family name is written as the first name of the individual.
For example, Ho Ming would be Mr. Ho in English
Henry Overson Historically, many naming patterns followed the system of patronymics or, in some cases, matronymics; the child received the given name of the father or mother as a surname.
For example, historically in Denmark, if Jens Swensen had a male child named Peder, The child’s name would be Peder Jensen.
In the same patronymic system, a female child named Maria would become Maria Jensdatter.
Almost every country in the world has a history of patronymics.
This naming pattern was still in use in most Scandinavian countries as late as the 19th century and is still prevalent in Iceland.
Some countries, such as Russia and the Ukraine, still use a modified form of patronymics as middle names.
Iceland has, what is likely, the most conservative naming patterns of any country.
All first names used in Iceland must be approved by the Icelandic Naming Committee. Some parts of the United States, on the other hand, are known for their innovative and unusual given names.
For example, historically in Denmark, if Jens Swensen had a male child named Peder, The child’s name would be Peder Jensen.
In the same patronymic system, a female child named Maria would become Maria Jensdatter.
Almost every country in the world has a history of patronymics.
This naming pattern was still in use in most Scandinavian countries as late as the 19th century and is still prevalent in Iceland.
Some countries, such as Russia and the Ukraine, still use a modified form of patronymics as middle names.
Iceland has, what is likely, the most conservative naming patterns of any country.
All first names used in Iceland must be approved by the Icelandic Naming Committee. Some parts of the United States, on the other hand, are known for their innovative and unusual given names.
