How and when did the custom of middle names begin and what do they usually mean?

elburcher

Almost all of us have a middle name, but it seems few people know why middle names exist. It turns out the use of middle names in the United States is relatively new. In fact, they were almost unheard of before the late 1700s. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and even Abraham Lincoln did not have middle names. It was German immigrants who first brought the custom to the U.S. in the early 19th century. They traditionally gave their kids two names: a spiritual one, usually named for a saint, and a secular one used to be used on a daily basis. Secular names eventually became known as middle names and by World War I almost all Americans had one. Today they are used for identification and to tell people apart but middle names are mostly used as a way to honor or preserve family names. http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_180084214.html Jul 09 06, 9:32 AM

bloomsby

See also this site, which doesn't see middle names as a specifically German import: http://www.answers.com/topic/middle-name Jul 09 06, 1:39 PM

Arpeggionist

The first person recorded to have a middle name was Gideon Y'rubaal ben Yo'ash, a judge from the tribe of Menasheh, ancient Israel. His middle name was given to him later by his father and community, the story being recorded in Judges 6:25-32. Other biblical characters also had second names, but in no case were the two names used interchangeably to such an extant as Gid'on Y'ruba'al. Karl Linée (a.k.a. Linnaeus) started the custom in Sweden of referring to different types of plants and animals by genus and species. In some cases there will also be a subspecies name, rendering the species more like a second name (for example, Homo Sapiens Neandertalis as opposed to Homo sapiens sapiens). Jul 10 06, 2:42 AM

davejacobs

Possibly more interesting, and definitely somewhat puzzling, is the custom of people being given inherited surnames. Jul 10 06, 2:37 PM

Baloo55th

Inherited surnames were common in Roman times, but went out in Britain when the so-called Dark Ages came in. Surnames became more necessary when population increased, and greater mobility also came in. John Harry's son would need to be distinguished from John John's son, and if there were two John Harry's sons in a village, one or both might be referred to geographically (one might become John Agutter for living by the brook, and the other John Woods for obvious reasons). In towns, occupations would distinguish people - Baker, Chandler and so on. Basically, it was the end of the 'tribal' organisation and social fluidity that necessitated the surname. Jul 10 06, 3:09 PM

Arpeggionist

There are also surnames mentioned in the Bible: "Hacohen" ("The Priest", an occupational name) was the first used, and the first person referred to by that name was Aharon. Jul 11 06, 1:24 AM

Baloo55th

In the UK, there are quite a lot of people (Baloo included) with more than one middle name. Jul 12 06, 5:34 AM

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