What's in a Name?

Another way of looking at determining parentage, when there is no definitive document providing the information, is to look at naming patterns.   While not conclusive evidence of family relationship, names can provide clues that may help unravel family relations.

In a recent blog, I offered  names for Robert and Christian Graham’s children, as obtained from Robert’s probate records.  Those children were (*indicate named as minor heirs in probate records): 

1.       Margaret

2.       John

3.       Charles

4.       Anthony

5.       Reuben *

6.       Sarah *

7.       Christian *

8.       Archibald *

9.       George Jackson *

10.   Robert *

For example we know that the 2 Robert Grahams, living in Scott County, Mississippi were born about the same time 1816 – 1818, one in Mississippi and one in North Carolina, they had different wives (Ruth and Charlotte), and named their children differently.   

Children of Robert Graham m. Ruth Smith

1. Sarah C.
2.  Christiana Elizabeth
3.  William Jackson
4.  Julia Ann
5.  Emily
6.  Lorenzo Dow
7.  Demerius  or Demarius
8.  Ruth M.
9. Mary Ann
10.  Annie

A quick review, shows that Robert and Ruth Graham’s children had some similar names to the elder Robert & Christian Graham: 

 Sarah

 Christian(a)

 Jackson. 

According to Farmer in The History of the Graham Family for the Graham Family Reunion 1979, the elder Robert Graham’s wife Christian was Christian Keahey.  Her mother’s maiden name was Jackson, and Christian was also her maternal grandmother.  She also had a brother George Jackson Keahey who died in 1808.   These facts all still need to be researched and documented.   But, they are tantalizing clues.  

And, now a quick look at the known children (determined from census records) of Robert Graham m. Charlotte Pennington

1. Lafayette
2. Benjamin 
3. Frank
4.  Anthony 
5.  William

The only name match here is Anthony.  This will become important as I continue to look at other options for Robert Graham’s father.  

In the future, I’ll take a look at all of Robert Graham m. Christian Keahey grandchildren’s names to see if there are any further matches that might be clues to family relationships .