GEN-DE-L Archives

From: TomKerth< >
Subject: Re: given names the same
Date: 01 Jun 1998 12:20:14 GMT

>From: "Camellia Foster" >
>Why did my great grand parents name their children , Johannes as a given name,
middle name is different.
>
Depending on the local custom, the first name was often taken from the
appropriate godparent at baptism, the second name was "given." Many people
later dropped the baptismal name; thus, they were actually called by their
middle name, but occasionally used both names for legal documents. It's a
complicated issue, but there are some postings here awhile back on the same
theme.

___
Thomas Kerth, Stony Brook, New York
"Nun, o Unsterblichkeit bist du ganz mein!" (Kleist)

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• Re: given names the same by TomKerth< >