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Naming Traditions

Donegal

Hello,

My great grandfather, Daniel McGeehin, emigrated from Ireland (likely Donegal) in 1872. He married Mary Anne Boyle who was born in America to Irish parents. They lived in an Irish enclave in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Their first born children were named as follows:

First born male: Daniel

First born female: Bridget

Second born male: John

Second born female: Hannah

I don't know with any certainty who Daniel's parent's were. But Mary Anne's parent's were John and Hannah. This might suggest that Daniel's parents were Daniel and Bridget. I know this is not the most common naming tradition (i.e. that the first male and second female would be named for the paternal grandparents, while the second male and first female would be named for the maternal grandparents). However, I have been told by a professional Dublin-based genealogist that the tradition used by my great grandparents was not that uncommon.

I am curious to know if others have seen this naming pattern in their families, especially for Donegal ancestors.

Thanks,

Jack

JPM

3 replies

Jack:

I checked the subscription site Roots Ireland to see if I could find any Daniel McGeehin/McGeehan baptismal records and the earliest is 1874. You likely know that there are very few pre-1850 baptismal records for Co. Donegal.

I did look at the 1857 Griffiths Valutaion head of household listings for Daniel McGeehin/McGeehan records and located six in parishes which border each other in west/central Donegal. Perhaps that is the are where you ancestor came from. See below.

I will contact one of our volunteers who is originally from Donegal and let him respond to your question. It may take a fews daysto hear back from him.

Roger McDonnell

SourceSurnameFirst NameTownlandParishCounty

GriffithMcGeehanDanielBallynascallGartanCo. Donegal

GriffithMcGeehanDanielBellanamoreInishkeelCo. Donegal

GriffithMcGeehanDanielDerrynagrialLettermacawardCo. Donegal

GriffithMcGeehanDanielDerryleconnell FarLettermacawardCo. Donegal

GriffithMcGeehanDanielDerryleconnell NearLettermacawardCo. Donegal

GriffithMcGeehanDanielGalwolieLettermacawardCo. Donegal

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello,

Thenaming pattern as given here on IrelandXO was common before the famine and less so after. However, I would always use it in the first instance necause you wouldbe lost if some other system was used - there is precious little to link one generation to another in the early eighteen hundreds?

Also not if there are gaps in the timing of children when trying to apply the sequeunce

Seamus Crowe, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much for this.

I was told this on another forum and thought - surely not. But for it to be explained and said again on this forum, makes me wonder.

Ataraiti

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