WHAT'S IN A NAME?


 
(Adapted from a book written by Alice Zweifel) 
 
The children of Canton Glarus were named after their relatives.
There was an accepted pattern of first names which has caused 
the same ones to be used repeatedly:
 
Son#1 was named after the husband's father.
Son#2 was named after the wife's father.
Son#3 was named after the father.
Son#4 was named after the husband's father's father.
Son#5 was named after the wife's father's father.
Son#6 was named after the husband's mother's father.
Son#7 was named after the wife's mother's father.
 
Whenever a duplicate name occurred the next was used. 
Assuming the father had a third son.
His name would be the same as his father's.
Hence #1 and #3 of this generation would be the same so,
child #3 would be named after the husband's father's father.
Also if a boy died in infancy, his name was given to the next born son.
Those who didn't want their grandparent's names began to use
their brothers'and uncles' names.
Rarely we see an unusual name but, if we knew all the mother's ancestors, 
it too would probably follow the pattern.
Occasionally, #1 and #2 names were reversed or #4 and #5 names were reversed.
Likewise, the daughters were named:
 
Daughter #1 after the wife's mother.
Daughter #2 after the husband's mother.
Daughter #3 after the wife.
Daughter #4 after the husband's father's mother.
Daughter #5 after the wife's father's mother.
Daughter #6 after the husband's mother's mother.
Daughter #7 after the wife's mother's mother
 



Theoretically it would be possible to have fourteen living children 
without having to choose an unusual name.
However duplicates often occurred. The parents decided whether they 
wanted two children with similar or same first names or whether 
to use the next name on the list.
For example, Johann Rudolph, Johann Heinrich, Johann Jakob,
and Johannes are brothers in one family.
 
One man's name may be listed in several ways. Only the dates, wife's name,
and parents' names prove him to be the same person.
One might find: Johanns Heinrich Streiff, Johann Streiff Johanns Streiff,
Heinrich Streiff, Henry Streiff, Joh Heinrich Streiff,
Johannes Henry Streiff Johann Henry Streiff, John Henry Streiff,
John Heinrich Streiff, and Joh. Henry Streiff.
 
When looking at sloppy handwriting, the former names could also be confused with: 
Jos, Joe, Jost, and Joseph.
 
 
Couple the fact with two more that each man spelled as he heard and pronounced,
and spelling of proper names has never been standardized, and one will find items like:
Margaretha, Margreth Margaret, Margretha, Margreth, Margret, Margueritha,
Marguerith, Marguerit, Marguerite, 
Margeretha, Margerath, Margeret, Margritha, Margrith, Margrit, Marguerita, Margareta, 
Margreta, Margereta, Margrita, Margoretha, Margoreth, Margoret, Margoreta, Marguretha, 
Margureth, Marguret, Margureta.
Recent generations ignore all these possibilities in favor of Marge, and Margo. 
 
Surnames also have a meaning, Zopfi means a braid of hair.
Adding "er" means a profession or place; such as Elmer means one from Elm,
and Schindler means a roofer or shingler. 
Adding "li" means diminutive; Hammerli means a small hammer. French names often end 
In a silent "Z." Italian names often end in "I."
In the United States a wife's maiden name
may be used before the husband's surname or as a middle name for her son.

However, in Switzerland the wife's name comes after the husband's with a hyphen.




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