Trace your Irish roots using this traditional Irish naming pattern
Do you know or think you might have Irish roots? This naming pattern once used in Ireland could be a useful tool when trying to find out.
The Irish had a very strong tradition for naming the eldest children in each family, says Irish Central.
Why not check out your own family tree to see if it rings true?
Here’s how it works:
- The eldest son would be named after his paternal grandfather.
- The second son would be named after his maternal grandfather.
- The third son would be named after his father.
- The fourth son would be named after his father’s oldest brother.
This naming pattern was followed across most levels of Irish society and in different religious denominations, which may explain recurring names throughout your family tree.
The naming pattern for girls was similar, but not followed as closely as it was for boys.
"One of the main challenges of Irish genealogy is not having anything at all to begin your search," says Irish Central.
"That’s where understanding this naming pattern can help. It’s not enough to give you definitive evidence of an ancestor’s name, but it’s a great place to start looking.
"If you’ve hit a brick wall or are feeling totally lost, try to estimate some names based on this pattern. It will narrow your search results tremendously, and while it isn’t guaranteed to turn up evidence of your ancestors, it could be the beginning of a trail that leads to an amazing discovery.
"For instance, if you’re researching a family with the last name of Murphy (the most common name found in our Irish Catholic parish registers from County Cork), you’re going to have a lot of names to search through. But if you know that your Irish immigrant ancestor’s first name was Patrick, you now have a place to start – his grandfather may have been Patrick Murphy. Still a common name, but it’s a starting place.
W"hile this won’t give you the answer in and of itself, it could help you find their household. You may discover that someone with that name occupied a household with other family names you are certain are correct. Even knowing that, you’ll still need more direct evidence linking your ancestry to that person, but the path will be easier if you’ve got a good hunch a certain member fits."
Does this naming tradition still exist in your family to this day? Which are the most common names in your family tree?
Yes it does. My grandfather came over from Ireland to the UK. He was illiterate and had no paperwork. I don't know his date of birth. We think he was in his 80s when he died in 1979. So difficult, when you have so little to go on.