A question on the culture and naming conventions in Croatia where there are duplicate names for chil
I am researching FamilySearch records in Croatia which are not complete. In some instances there are birth records, but not death records for the same time period. It is quite common to see multiple children born to the same parents in different years with the same name. My assumption is that in most cases, the child died and a child born later was given the same name. I have validated that assumption in many cases (but not all) where the records are more complete with birth and death records for the same time period. I have not found a case where there are 2 living children born a few years apart with the same name, so I don't think that is a common practice. I am looking for any any insights or places to get more information about the naming of children in Croatia in the 1700's-1800's timeframe.
My question is what information should be entered for the death date on the children that I assume have died based on the fact there is another child with the same name born a few years later? If I assume they died, then I could add a death date of “before YYYY” which in many cases will change the temple ordinances which need to be done.
Thanks for any perspective you can share on this situation. I have read the help article in FamilySearch, and I am looking for information on naming practices in Croatia.
Thanks in advance for any response that you share.
Kyle
답변들
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Can't comment on Croatia but in Germany some families named ALL the children with the SAME first name but unique second names and they USED the second name: Mary Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Mary Margaret, Johann Friedrich, Johann Heinrich, Johann Peter, Johann Carl, etc. The first name likely had family significance.
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HI Kyle,
as John pointed out, in Germany, first names are used for multiple children, but the second given name is the one that was used. However, it is sometimes the case, not often, that multiple children were given exactly the same names even though the oldest child did not die. Crazy, huh? But, the children would have been known by different parts of the name or a nickname.
So,you cannot always conclude that the older child died. Most often, such is the case, but not always.
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Thanks John for the perspective. Based on your response, the naming conventions in the area I am researching in Croatia are different from those seen in Germany.
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Thanks Fritz for your comment and perspective.
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I don't know about Croatia, but in Hungary your assumption would be correct. The same name was often used again if the child died young. This was common even in the 20th century, my great-grandfather (born 1920) was the third one christened to the same name, after the boys before him died in their infancy.
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You are correct about deaths of children and reusing the name. Happened very often during that time period and our family groupings of Croatians have multiple Rosinas, Josephs, etc.
One of the hindrances to getting a death date is the record. A common convention was to put a cross and a death date in the notes section at the far right of the record. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but as Croatian online records are pictures of a handwritten copy of the church book, and not the original, usually this vital piece of information was left out. I won't go into how the copy sometimes got other things wrong, but let's just say I'm glad I went to the archives in country.
In fact, going in country was the only way to find out that my great great grandfather's twin died just before turning 1. There in the archive we found that little cross in the notes with her death date, and that was her death record. My wife cried as we drove away, because we were hoping to track down the twin's family.
So yes, it happened often that a later sibling would be named the same name as a deceased one, and in certain tragic instances, after multiple deceased ones.
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Thanks for the response and your thoughts.
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Thanks for the response and the information you shared.
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