A little knowledge about naming patterns can help you guess at missing children or even the name of previous generations. For instance, if you
know the names of the children of a couple, you can make an intelligent guess at the names of the couple's parents. These patterns varied widely
by ethnic and religious groups, but bearing in mind these numerous exceptions, it is still possible to identify a common pattern found prior to the
latter half of the 20th century:
| 1st son = father's father |
1st daughter = mother's mother |
| 2nd son = mother's father |
2nd daughter = father's mother |
| 3rd son = father |
3rd daughter = mother |
| 4th son = father's oldest brother |
4th daughter = mother's oldest sister |
5th son = father's 2nd oldest brother or mother's oldest brother |
5th daughter = mother's 2nd oldest sister or father's oldest sister |
| |
2nd wife's oldest daughter named after the first wife, using her full name |
To learn more about particular naming patterns, browse through these sites:
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