Merriott Families Genealogy

Christian Names 

In general terms, parents in 19th century Merriott confined themselves to a fairly small selection of Christian names for their children.  Sometimes a relatively unusual name will be seen in successive generations of a single family or perhaps two families.    An example of this is the name Aaron, used by the Pattemore family.   Another example is Alexander, used by the Osbornes and, to a lesser extent, the Mitchells.     Looking at the Baptismal Registers for Merriott for 1812 to 1876, names like Ann/Anne, Mary and Eliza/Elizabeth, Emma, Hannah/Anna, Sarah, and Susan/Susannah  were common for girls;  Edward/Edwin, George, Henry, John, Joseph, Robert, Samuel, Thomas and William for boys.  Some Christian names are conspicuous by their absence from the Baptismal registers 1812 - 1876 - Peter being one of those names.  Towards the end of the nineteenth century, a range of names began to become more popular, including Ida, Maude, Mabel, Flora, Lily, Lucy, Blanche, Arthur, and Walter.

The Greek and Latin Influence

Scattered through the Merriott records you will occasionally find some rather unusual Christian names.  The practice started within the families of Hallett and Higgins.  The use of Greek names from ancient literature is an interesting finding in a village otherwise dominated by the regular use of names such as Thomas, Mary, Samuel, Ann, George etc.

The trend started in the 1730s, with  children of George & Ann Hallett being named Pantenus, Laodamia & Theophania.  One wonders which parent was interested in Greek  literature, surely an uncommon occurrence in 18th century villagers!    Both Pantenus & Laodamia went on to marry & continue the tradition.

Pantenus & Elizabeth Hallett baptised children between 1760 and 1774 with the unusual names of Theophania,  Pantenus, and Paris, as well as "ordinary" names such as George, Joan, John & Anne.

Laodamia Hallett married John Higgins in 1754, and managed to name her fifth & sixth children Parthenia. The couple also baptised one William, two Thomas', and four Georges.   William went on to name one of his children Parthenia, and one Laodamia.   The surviving Thomas named one daughter Laodamia. 

Other members of these families chose to name their own children more "ordinary" names.  

By the 19th century censuses, there were only a few Parthenias and a few Laodamias left,  of the surnames Higgins, Eason, Osborne, Sweet, Doutch and Lawrence.

So where did these names originate?   I am no student of Greek Literature, but here follows some shortened research on these names.

I would be interested to hear from any other researchers with Greek names in other places in England around the 18th century.

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