CHRISTIAN NAMES IN LOCAL AND FAMILY HISTORY. by Redmonds, George - 2004

Kew, Richmond: National Archives, 2004. 190 pp, large 8vo (9 7/16" H). B&w photographs, maps, tables. "Surnames have long provided key links in historical research. This ground-breaking work shows that English christian names are also significant for those researching local communities and family history - and that they are a fascinating topic in their own right. Did you know, for instance, that the names Philip and Thomas were once used for girls? Or that there was a woman called Diot Coke in 1379? When George Redmonds became intrested in christian names, he found that information on his own name in dictionaries was contradicted by local records - and that the standard works' emphasis on etymology only give part of the story. Half a lifetime's research has convinced him that every christian name has a 'pedigree', which can be regional, local or even centred on one family. Here he explores the implications of this for both amateur and academic historians. Drawing on examples from Anne to Zaccheus, he covers a wealth of topics including the stabilisation of first names as surnames; the influence of individuals, parents, godparents and communities on naming; the popularity of names over the last 700 years; and more recent changes in naming practice. He challenges many published assumptions - and offers new insights into the customs and attitudes of our ancestors from the Middle Ages to the present day." Dust jacket has minor wrinkling at top of front panel.. Not Signed. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Very Good+.