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Archiver > SCT-FIFE > 1999-09 > 0936303900


From: "Andrew & Jillian Smith" <>
Subject: Re: Where Do Family Names Come From?
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999 21:25:00 +0100


I would like to add that in my family we have the middle name of McLean in
both my mothers and her mothers name it was not until I was at the funeral
of my Granddad and was speaking to a distant cousin (whom is also trying to
research the family tree) that my Gran was given this middle name after her
mum's best friend who died just before she was born about the time of the
1st world war. Until then I was starting to get worried that I could not
find any connection with the surname within the family.

Hope this may help to stop worried minds, just like I was.

Regards

Jillian Smith
Jersey, Channel Islands

Researching: mainly ARNOTT, SIMPSON, THOMSON, CAMEROON, CARMICHAEL & FAWNS
(and many more)

----- Original Message -----
From: Don Page <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 1999 6:39 PM
Subject: Where Do Family Names Come From?


For Jill Martin:

Hello Jill
You were wondering where your husband's middle name of BRAND originated.
The first thought is that such names are family names and, in most cases,
they are. I have 2 middle names and had to go back as far as my great great
grandparents to find their origin. However, from time to time, children are
given the name of the minister who baptised them so it is worth while
checking to see who he was.
As a variation on this theme, I recently came across someone in Fife who was
given the name of the factor on the estate where his father worked. I only
knew this as this person was listed as one of the witnesses at the baptism.
One thing you can be sure of is that there was some specific reason for the
name being given, as opposed to today when many names are fairly arbitrarily
awarded!

Don Page
Edinburg

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