NL GenWeb, frequently asked questions

What patterns were followed in naming NL children?

Names usually followed a pattern in families and it was not uncommon to have several children with the same name all related someway. If a child died young, the family often named a future child the same name as this was considered lucky - the second child would not die. When I see a child baptized the same day as it was born I often look to see if that child survived. Baptisms on the same day usually meant that it was suspected that the child would not survive. These are often labeled private baptisms - again for the same reason. Years ago, and probably in some areas today, it was felt that if a child was not baptized, and it died, that it would not go to heaven; hence the hasty baptism.

Debbie Jeans, CG(C)
Certified Genealogist (Canada)
9th generation Newfoundlander
St.John's, Newfoundland<