tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86652122302668600352024-03-13T14:07:00.825-07:00Scandia Musings & MoreTessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-87657006093916723902015-05-04T17:00:00.000-07:002015-05-04T17:00:15.868-07:00Pondering Pauleen's Posers - Another Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UT-jTw_I5YY/VUfhixq0wxI/AAAAAAAANok/qghb901Lsfs/s1600/conference%2Bcover%2Bbetter.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UT-jTw_I5YY/VUfhixq0wxI/AAAAAAAANok/qghb901Lsfs/s400/conference%2Bcover%2Bbetter.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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My genealogy time was pretty well-booked in April with the <b><i>#AtoZChallenge</i></b> and a <b><i>Legacy Webinar presentation</i></b>, however Pauleen Cass wrote a thoughtful post for <b><i>WorldWide Genealogy</i></b> <a href="http://worldwidegenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/04/to-conference-or-not-to-conference.html#comment-form">To Conference or not to Conference</a> and I made a note in my bullet journal to <i>"get back to within the next 30 days" </i>and comment<i>.</i> Here is my response and hopefully it is not too late. I appropriated Jill Ball's title (and encourage you to <a href="http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/pondering-pauleens-posers.html">read her thoughts</a> as well) to extend the theme and agree with Jill that it would be a great <b><i>geneameme</i></b> or <b><i>Saturday Night Genealogy Fun</i></b> topic.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>1. During a final-day Congress panel session led by GeniAus, Jo</i><i>sh Taylor mentioned that perhaps the term “society” is out of date for younger potential genealogists. Do you agree? Are you a member of a family history/genealogy/local history society?</i></span></blockquote>
<b><i>I pay more attention to the aims, goals and activities of a group than to what it calls itself.</i></b> That is not to say that you should not pay attention to names - certainly if the initials will be confusing or embarrassing (so be sure to check the Urban Dictionary, a standard dictionary, and give some thought to history).<br />
<br />
Whether we use the term <i>group, society, guild, association, gaggle, or pride</i> - my main concern is who are you, what are you doing, why are you doing it, are you innovating or reinventing a wheel, is this a vanity project or something that is well thought out and going to impress me, what services and benefits do you offer and are you good value for the money, how invested are the administrators and the volunteers in the group, are you open to discussion and group decision-making or is this more of a top down group or clique, do you offer benefits to distance members, and am I made to feel welcome or are you simply looking for a yearly subscription/renewal.<br />
<br />
I belong to 3 groups that address my interest in specialized studies (the <b><i>Guild of One-Name Studies</i></b>, the <b><i>Society for One-Place Studies</i></b>, and the <b><i>Register of One-Place Studies</i></b>). I belong to 4 national or regional/local groups (<b><i>Federated Genealogical Societies</i></b>, <b><i>New England Historic Genealogical Society</i></b>, <b><i>Southern California Genealogical Society</i></b>, and the <b><i>Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador</i></b>). I don't live near any of these groups and only 1 has location information that addresses my research needs, but I am impressed with all 4 groups, want to support their activities (video tutorials, webinars, online research data sets, member benefits, and publications) and I appreciate their quality newsletters and journals.<br />
<br />
I prefer a<b style="font-style: italic;"> "no drama" group</b> and I agree with Jill that there should be term limits for officer and volunteer positions because without new blood or regular changes in posts (<i>think of it as musical chairs for these groups and their volunteers</i>) there seems to be a lack of member involvement, a sense of entitlement or ownership by some volunteers, a narrowing of focus or an unwillingness to try something new or look to the membership for ideas. I also think members need to be encouraged to step up and be more active in a group. If members know that someone else will always do the heavy lifting, many don't volunteer. At RootsTech/FGS, <b><i>Josh Taylor</i></b> gave an excellent presentation at FGS Society Day on the care and feeding of volunteers (my title not his - I think his title was <i>New Kid on the Block</i>) and <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Diane Coutant </span>gave a brilliant talk during the morning general session on how societies were like gardens (results could be for good or ill depending on the plants, the garden, the gardeners and forces outside your control). Both of these talks should be required viewing by every administrator and postholder in any genealogy group.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">2. Also I wonder if the word “genealogy” continues to fully reflect how we refer to what we do. What is your preferred term when you tell people about your hobby obsession? Is it genealogy or family history?</span></i></blockquote>
I get the difference in terminology. <b><i>Genealogy</i></b> is considered the study of direct line ancestors/descendants and a bit of just the facts (or vital statistics). <b><i>Family History</i></b> on the other hand is taking your genealogy research as a starting point and studying culture, language, economics, statistics, local history, world history and many other subjects to tell the stories of our ancestors (often called "putting meat on the bones").<br />
<br />
I think most people consider themselves <b><i>family historians</i></b> whether they use the term genealogy or family history. With everything at our disposal today (both online and offline), we have all gone beyond the vital statistics. I don't give much thought to labels - again I agree with Jill, but do recall it being a subject of great debate (much to my surprise) in one of the groups I belong to.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">3. What other things do you consider when you make a choice about attending a family history conference?</span></i></blockquote>
For me it is <b><i>a combination of program, location, and cost.</i></b> I attend a conference to learn from both the presenter and the attendees. I want a thoughtful program with enough content choices, as well as enough time in the schedule so I can meet up with attendees and do a bit of research. I am not all that interested in luncheon or dinner speakers - give us time to chat among ourselves. I want a variety of sessions (beginner, intermediate and advanced) so we also have a variety of attendees - I am always learning from others, whatever their level is. In fact, some of my most interesting "takeaways" from a conference have been those conversations in the hotel lobby or over a meal.<br />
<br />
I would really appreciate it if the American market for conferences and seminars took advantage of <b><i>poster sessions, experts' tables, and unconferencing</i></b>. I would like the <b><i>exhibit halls</i></b> at any of the large conferences to spread the big players to each of the four corners (and make it worth their while and dollars to be there) for better flow. I would also like a more active approach to booths/stands rather than just having materials at a table (I really think that we need to step up our game in this regard, many other fields are farther along than genealogy in this area). That said I realize how expensive booths are for the average exhibitor and applaud those who make the effort. It would be great if organizers gave exhibitors enough time between sessions and perhaps a half day without sessions so that attendees don't have to make the choice between attending sessions and prowling the exhibit hall (and perhaps close down the exhibit hall at certain times so exhibitors could get a break or attend sessions).<br />
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<b><i>Speakers</i></b> are important - please consider a healthy combination of new speakers and seasoned speakers. More <b><i>workshops and interactive sessions</i></b> would be a big plus. Please realize that many of us are taking our vacation, spending our hard earned money and want to learn what you say you will be teaching. I appreciate speakers who follow through and speak/teach to their clever title or short description. I also appreciate those who take the time to prepare and update their slides (there is nothing worse than seeing someone has thrown together a few slides with clip art or a screen captures that we can't read or don't know why you have included - and when you are simply reading your slides, I have to wonder why you have so little respect for your audience). Please have a syllabus or handout that adds something to your presentation and gives me direction on how to take advantage of what you just taught me.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">4. Have you been to conferences locally or nationally? Were they of benefit?</span></i></blockquote>
I attended <b><i>RootsTech/FGS 2015</i></b> and commented about it over at my other blog <b><i><a href="http://keoughcorner.blogspot.com/2015/03/looking-back-on-tessas-excellent.html">The Keough Corner</a></i></b>. I enjoyed the experience although I would have enjoyed a bit more down time between sessions. I attended a seminar put on by the <b><i>Oregon Genealogy Forum</i></b> a few years ago and was impressed with the sessions and the speakers (my first experience hearing <b><i>Elizabeth Shown Mills</i></b> - a brilliant speaker and educator). They had signups for 15 minutes with an expert on various topics and I did take advantage of it for some Swedish research. For in-depth learning, the <b><i>Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy</i></b> is excellent - a week's worth of focused learning and the Family History Library is quite the value for your money. Again a bit more down time for conversations among attendees would be nice.<br />
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I have attended the <b><i>Lower Columbia Genealogical Society</i></b>'s monthly meetings when visiting my sister and that group puts on excellent presentations and their members are friendly and welcoming. I did attend a one-day seminar (location will not be named) - the group was great and their members were very friendly. Their nationally known guest speaker (at a not insignificant cost) was a huge disappointment. This speaker is an expert in his field and no doubt very accomplished. He was also completely dismissive of the attendees' questions, his presentation slides had not been updated in over 10 years, and he ignored the attendees over the lunch break - one of those moments when you realize that a big name get is not necessarily a good thing. <b><i>Fairfax Genealogical Society</i></b> and the <b><i>Minnesota Genealogical Society</i></b> always do a great job with their seminars and conferences (in fact <b><i>MNGS</i></b> does pretty much everything really well).<br />
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<b><i>Well, those are my thoughts on Pauleen's Posers - what are yours?</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-37214370459376726412015-05-03T17:00:00.000-07:002015-05-03T17:00:02.310-07:00Reflections on April's #AtoZChallenge<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YO1SgmdU1Mc/VUZ4rX6__6I/AAAAAAAANmc/4ZrzFTxMay4/s1600/reflections%2Bcover%2Bsm.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YO1SgmdU1Mc/VUZ4rX6__6I/AAAAAAAANmc/4ZrzFTxMay4/s1600/reflections%2Bcover%2Bsm.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>introducing some of the people who are part of my family tree</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What can I say - I'm happy I took on the #AtoZChallenge, I'm happy it is May (so I am finished), and I feel a little bit like that sunflower - exhausted but pleased that my efforts paid off with a bit of color and bringing new life to my blog.<br />
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<ul>
<li><b><i>What Was Good</i></b></li>
<ul>
<li>knowing that I was part of a team and that others were working away with great ideas and interesting posts to share; </li>
<li>having a project that I was engaged in every day (except that Sunday day of rest thing); </li>
<li>reading blogs that blew me away with their creativity and unexpected depth;</li>
<li>picking a theme that was easy enough to write about each day and that taught me something every single time I blogged;</li>
<li>learning more about a number of family members in my Legacy family tree; and</li>
<li>hearing from other bloggers with comments (love comments) and from the co-hosts with encouragement (definitely made me want to continue and finish strong).</li>
</ul>
<li><b><i>What Was Bad</i></b></li>
<ul>
<li>falling behind a few times and playing catch-up (never fun); </li>
<li>not spending enough time before April preparing for the blogging challenge; and</li>
<li>being crazy enough to want to treat my 2 blogs fairly meant I wrote 2 posts each day - some days it was 2 much!</li>
</ul>
<li><b><i>What I Will Do Differently Next Year</i></b></li>
<ul>
<li>Yes, I am already thinking about next year and I will start planning in about 6 months;</li>
<li>Once I have my theme (and I think themes are a huge help) I will start scouting images and word clouds as I am visual and thought it added something to my posts;</li>
<li>Write up my posts in advance - I need to get even farther in front of the project (3 to 4 days would be ideal);</li>
<li>Check in more often with other bloggers - I read 3 blogs each day just by clicking on random numbers in the #AtoZChallenge list. I definitely want more time for this aspect of the Challenge as there were so many great bloggers taking part; and</li>
<li>Encourage more of my friends and fellow bloggers to join in the fun - there is strength in numbers!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
Did you follow along during the month by reading and/or posting? Did you find some new blogs to follow? Are you going to be a repeat next April? </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Thanks to the co-hosts</i></b> for tips and suggestions, as well as your written encouragement.</li>
<li><b><i>Thanks to Jeremy Hawkins</i></b> for the great artwork/graphics - normally I am not a yellow person, but I went with the bold yellows and blues and it worked. </li>
<li><b><i>Thanks to any readers out there </i></b>who gave a +1 to my posts, shared them on Facebook, or made a comment - you don't realize how much your encouragement meant. </li>
<li><b>Thanks to the other Legacy software bloggers</b> - you kept me going and I learned so much from you. </li>
<li><b><i>Thanks to the websites that have information</i></b> about given names, most especially <b><i>Behind the Name</i></b> and <b><i>Nordic Names</i></b>.</li>
<li>And finally thanks to all those <b><i>family members from Ireland, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden</i></b> for such great given names - your given names made the #AtoZChallenge fun, educational and entertaining - <b><i>knowledge, it's a good thing</i></b>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-60938856383975129672015-04-30T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-30T17:00:00.207-07:00Z is for Zakarias<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ra-yVJSePws/VUKslwol9ZI/AAAAAAAANh0/xZvqGqPVJTg/s1600/zakarias%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ra-yVJSePws/VUKslwol9ZI/AAAAAAAANh0/xZvqGqPVJTg/s1600/zakarias%2Bcover.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>thanks for reading this month<br />today is the end of April and so we reach the letter Z</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It has been a crazy busy week and I am a bit behind (will get those last two up soon) but today is the last day of April and the last day of the #AtoZChallenge. Today is all about Z which is for <b><i>Zakarias</i></b>. We have 2 males in our family tree named <b><i>Zakarias</i></b> although I did notice that the spelling is shown as <b style="font-style: italic;">Zakarias, Zacharias </b>and<b style="font-style: italic;"> Sakarias</b>, depending on the record. Since this given name belongs to my Norwegian 4th great grandfather <b><i>Zakarias</i></b> Pedersen, his 4 daughters and 3 sons carried on the name as their surname (got to love patronymics!) as<b><i> Zakariasdattter </i></b>and <b><i>Zakariasen</i></b>. My 3rd great grandmother gave her surname as a given name to her first son (so it made the full circle) as <b><i>Zakarias</i></b>.<br />
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<b><i>Zakarias</i></b> (or more commonly <b><i>Zacharias</i></b>) is the Greek form of <b><i>Zechariah</i></b>, meaning "Yahweh remembers." Those familiar with the New Testament will know that <b><i>Zechariah</i></b> was the father of John the Baptist. Variations on the name are <b><i>Zacharia</i></b> (Arabic), <b><i>Zahari</i></b> (Bulgarian), <b><i>Sakari</i></b> (Finnish) and <b><i>Zekeriya</i></b> (Turkish). To learn more about the name <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/zechariah">Zecharaih</a> or <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/zacharias">Zakarias</a> check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/">Behind the Name</a>. And if you have not done so yet, why not check out <b>Behind the Name</b> for your own given name (and then add that interesting bit to your own family history). I could not find the name listed as used in either Norwegian or Swedish. In light of the Finnish spelling of the name, I am wondering if there is a Finnish connection for this family back in the 1700s. Something to add to my research to-do list.<br />
<br />
Thanks so much for following along with me during April's #AtoZChallenge. I hope you have enjoying learning a bit about the given names in the Scandinavian and Slovenian branches of my family tree.<br />
<br />
<i>On behalf of my Norwegian and Swedish ancestors</i> - <b><i>Skål</i></b><br />
<i>and on behalf of my Slovenian ancestors </i>- <b><i>Na zdravje</i></b><br />
<br />Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-86374053337871425112015-04-29T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-30T18:52:27.368-07:00Y is for Ylva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qMD0-8i59R8/VULbuF5Ok_I/AAAAAAAANi8/q_Y9ryHFRJE/s1600/ylva.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qMD0-8i59R8/VULbuF5Ok_I/AAAAAAAANi8/q_Y9ryHFRJE/s1600/ylva.PNG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Today is all about the letter Y and unfortunately we don't have any given names in our family file that begin with the letter Y. However if anyone in my family has a girl in the future I am going to suggest <b><i>Ylva</i></b>. Why?<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><i>Ylva</i></b> means "she-wolf" (from the Old Norse Ulfr) which is a <b><i>very strong-sounding name</i></b> - I wouldn't mess with <b><i>Ylva</i></b>, would you?</li>
<li>I don't think little <b><i>Ylva</i></b> would have to share her name with too many other little girls - a unique to her name in the United States. </li>
</ul>
<b><i>Ylva</i></b> is used in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. <b><i>Ylva</i></b> is ranked in the top 100 given names for girls in Norway (coming in at 87!). In Sweden the name day for <b><i>Ylva</i></b> is April 11th.To learn more about <b><i>Ylva </i></b>check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/ylva">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
<br />
Are there any unusual given names in your family? Do you know what they mean?<br />
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for our last day in the #AtoZChallenge and the letter Z!</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-31704346762240362082015-04-28T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-30T19:18:24.307-07:00X is for Xavier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LXz3Khjz1-E/VULiDvuXRbI/AAAAAAAANjM/BoBgLuM4FL4/s1600/xavier%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LXz3Khjz1-E/VULiDvuXRbI/AAAAAAAANjM/BoBgLuM4FL4/s1600/xavier%2Bcover.PNG" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
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You had to know that with a strong Roman Catholic tradition in my family we would have one or two males with the name <b><i>Xavier</i></b>. I will admit that it is not used as a given or first name but it is often used in conjunction with Francis (as in Francis <b><i>Xavier</i></b>) a very popular given name in our family tree. Francis <b><i>Xavier</i></b> was a Jesuit priest (born <i>Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta</i> he took the name of the place where he was born <b><i>Xavier</i></b>, Kingdom of Navarre) who served as a missionary to East Asia. He was canonized in 1622 and his surname of <b><i>Xavier</i></b> was adopted as a given or middle name in many families. St. Francis <b><i>Xavier</i></b> is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Xavier</i></b> is from the Basque place name Etxaberri meaning "the new house." Variations on <b><i>Xavier</i></b> are <b><i>Xabier</i></b> (Basque) <b><i>Xaver</i></b> (German) <b><i>Saverio</i></b> (Italian), <b><i>Ksawery </i></b>(Polish) and <b><i>Javier </i></b>(Spanish). The name day for <b><i>Xavier </i></b>in France and Spain is December 3. This information comes from <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/xavier">Behind the Name</a>, click on the link to learn more about <b><i>Xavier</i></b>.<br />
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<b><i>See you back her tomorrow for the letter Y!</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-68405149074534770092015-04-27T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-27T17:00:07.956-07:00W is for William<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yarbZFPzUIU/VT5dgPRWITI/AAAAAAAANfk/UYfE4mqK1qM/s1600/william%2Bbetter%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yarbZFPzUIU/VT5dgPRWITI/AAAAAAAANfk/UYfE4mqK1qM/s1600/william%2Bbetter%2Bcover.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 13.6000003814697px;">the given name William - used in several of our families</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There are only a few given names that begin with W in my Legacy family file, and today I decided to go with the most used given name - <b><i>William</i></b>. We have 56 males named <b><i>William</i></b> and it cuts across the Irish, Norwegian, Slovenian, and Swedish branches of our tree. It also shows up in a number of our "married-ins" who come from Austria, Canada, England, Germany, and the Isle of Man. In our lines, it does not appear to be used until the late 1800s and early 1900s.<br />
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<b><i>William</i></b> comes from the Germanic <b><i>Willahlem</i></b> and is made up of the elements <b><i>wil</i></b> (will or desire) and <b><i>helm</i></b> (helmet, protection). There are several saints, kings, heroes, and writers throughout history named <b><i>William</i></b>. To learn more about the given name <b><i>William</i></b> and famous men named <b><i>William</i></b> (there's <b><i>William</i></b> the Conqueror, <b><i>William</i></b> Shakespeare, <b><i>William</i></b> Butler Yeats and <b><i>William</i></b> Wallace - just to name a few) check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/william">Behind the Name</a>. <b><i>William</i></b> ranks in the top ten as far as popularity in the following countries: USA, England, Canada, Sweden, and New Zealand. <b><i>William</i></b> is the most popular boys name in Australia, Denmark and Norway (although it might be more familiar to in the various countries where the name appears as Liam (Irish), Illiam (Manx), Vilhelm (Swedish and Norwegian) and Gwillym (Welsh).<br />
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter X - hmm?! </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-22214869128507334902015-04-25T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-26T09:18:20.594-07:00V is for Valentin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gd1HYrfPcs0/VT0OzdjoKqI/AAAAAAAANew/Xl2xpysvHBo/s1600/valentin%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gd1HYrfPcs0/VT0OzdjoKqI/AAAAAAAANew/Xl2xpysvHBo/s1600/valentin%2Bcover.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>the saint's name was often used <br />when a baby was born on the name day </i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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While there are not many given names in my family file that begin with the letter V, there is one that is quite special - <b><i>Valentin</i></b>. My great grandfather was named <b><i>Valentin</i></b> and he passed the name on as a middle name to two of his sons. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he was born on February 14th. Valens (from the Latin) means "strong or vigorous." The name day for <b><i>Valentin</i></b> is February 14 in every country that celebrates name days. To learn more about the given name <b><i>Valentin</i></b> (or any other given names) check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/valentin">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
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<b><i>Valentin</i></b> is a form of <b><i>Valentinus</i></b> and is used in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, Russia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Romania. Valentin appears in various forms, some of the more interesting versions are Balendin (Basque), Valentijn (Dutch), Balint (Hungarian), Walenty (Polish), and Folant (Welsh). <b><i>Valentin</i></b> is among the 50 most popular male given names in Austria and France.<br />
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<b><i>Do you have anyone named for St. Valentine in your family file? </i></b><br />
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See you back here on Monday for the letter W.<br />
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<br />Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-27358672706905972672015-04-24T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-25T20:13:52.236-07:00U is for Unnamed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QrXY3BfrP90/VTxVBJVr5OI/AAAAAAAANeM/GGhAfiRNCjw/s1600/unnamed%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QrXY3BfrP90/VTxVBJVr5OI/AAAAAAAANeM/GGhAfiRNCjw/s1600/unnamed%2Bcover.PNG" height="220" width="400" /></a></div>
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The theme for my AtoZChallenge here at Scandia Musings has been given names. And I have focused on the Scandinavian and Slovenian given names in my Legacy family file. But today's post is a bit different - today's post is for the 27 <b><i>unnamed</i></b> boys and girls who were either stillborn or died soon after their birth and were not named by their families. Their names on birth certificates appear as <b><i>baby boy</i></b> or <b><i>baby girl </i></b>or <b><i>unnamed infant</i></b>. I find this terribly sad and can't imagine how traumatic the death of an infant would be for these families. My heart especially went out to the Larson family who experienced this loss 3 times in 8 years. Today's post is to remember all those <b><i>unnamed</i></b> babies.Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-32708320142212472032015-04-23T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-23T17:30:14.991-07:00T is for Thorvald<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k52gqyv6yw8/VTmLnDIZKHI/AAAAAAAANc0/HarSX3jMoIM/s1600/Thorvald%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k52gqyv6yw8/VTmLnDIZKHI/AAAAAAAANc0/HarSX3jMoIM/s1600/Thorvald%2Bcover.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>God of Thunder, Lightening, Storms, Strength & Fertility<br />a name to grow into</i></b></td></tr>
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There are several given names in my family file that begin with a T - there is Teresa/Theresa and its variations (awfully partial to that one!), Theodore, Theophilus, Thomas, Timothy, Tobias and Tracy. However the only Scandinavian given name that starts with a T in my family file is <b><i>Thorvald</i></b> - oh yes!<br />
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We have one family member whose name derives from <b><i>Thor</i></b>, the god of thunder, and how fitting is it since today is Thursday (named after, say it with me - <b><i>Thor</i></b>!). Yes indeed <b><i>Thorvald</i></b> (and its variant <b><i>Torvald</i></b>) is found in Sweden, Norway and Denmark because Scandinavians are found of giving their children strong names! <b><i>Thorvald</i></b> is made up of the elements <b><i>Thor</i></b> (the Norse god) + <b><i>valdr</i></b> (ruler) so the name actually means <b><i>Thor's ruler</i></b> (that seems a bit gutsy) <i>this information comes </i><i>from</i> <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/thorvald">Behind the Name</a>. <b><i>Thorvald's</i></b> name day is June 17th. <b><i>Thorvald</i></b> remains a popular name in Denmark, Norway and Sweden today (see a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorvald">listing of famous men named Thorvald</a>).<br />
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Do you have anyone in your family file with the name of a Norse god? Do you have any names that, while popular in Scandinavian countries, might be considered unusual in the United States? I wonder how <b><i>Thorvald's</i></b> name went over in North Dakota in the early 1900s.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YmXNU16ejlc/VTmLm8a_8zI/AAAAAAAANc4/8zIwpBetkrk/s1600/thor%2B02.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YmXNU16ejlc/VTmLm8a_8zI/AAAAAAAANc4/8zIwpBetkrk/s1600/thor%2B02.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
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See you back here tomorrow for the letter U.Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-79843143002299533002015-04-22T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-22T17:00:14.964-07:00S is for Sigrid<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ua7mIAF1Njg/VTftQkr9-KI/AAAAAAAANbE/KNRj7Eb93UM/s1600/sigrid%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ua7mIAF1Njg/VTftQkr9-KI/AAAAAAAANbE/KNRj7Eb93UM/s1600/sigrid%2Bcover.PNG" height="220" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>another family that needs a bit more work </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There are lots of given names that begin with S in my family file. We have individuals named Samuel, Sarah, Simon, Stephen/Steven and Susan/Susanna. Since I am focusing on Scandinavian names in this A-Z Challenge, I selected one of the more unusual names - so today it is all about <b><i>Sigrid</i></b>. We have 5 women named <b><i>Sigrid</i></b> in my family, all Norwegian.<br />
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<b><i>Sigrid</i></b> comes from the Old Norse name Sigior. This is a compound name and the elements are <i>sigr</i> (victory) + <i>frior</i> (beautiful, fair). Variations on <b><i>Sigrid</i></b> appear as <b><i>Siri</i></b> and <b><i>Sigfrid</i></b> in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. <b style="font-style: italic;">Sigrid </b>is ranked in the top 50 names in both Norway and Sweden, however it is rarely used in the United States (no surprise there!). To learn more about the name <i><b>Sigrid</b></i> check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/sigrid">Behind the Name</a> (and be sure to check those links to the right-hand side of the page for additional information). September 15th is the name day for <b><i>Sigrid</i></b> in Sweden.<br />
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The most famous Scandinavian <b><i>Sigrid</i></b> (and my personal favorite) is <b><i>Sigrid Undset</i></b> (born in Denmark but raised in Norway), who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. Her best known work was <i>Kristin Lavransdatter</i>, a trilogy about life in Scandinavia (from a female point of view) in the Middle Ages. <b><i>Sigrid</i></b> had a fascinating life - including her family's early migration, her early failed attempts at publication, her world travels and marriage, her successful career as a novelist, her conversion from Lutheranism to Catholicism (a scandal at the time!), her flight from Norway during WWII (for opposing Hitler and speaking up for the plight of Jews), and her subsequent return to Norway after the war. <b>Sigrid Undset</b> is depicted on a Norwegian 500 kroner note and a two-kroner postage stamp from 1982. Sweden put her on a stamp in 1998 (<i>this information comes</i> <i>from</i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigrid_Undset">Wikipedia article on Sigrid Undset</a>). A list of her published works is included in the Wikipedia article. If you want to learn more about her published works, check out her entry on <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/wcidentities/lccn-n79043449">Worldcat</a> (a great way to find out more about authors!). I am a huge fan of historical fiction that is clever, well-researched, detailed, accurate and well-written.<br />
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<b><i>Sigrid Undset</i></b> ranks right up there with my favorite historical fiction author, Dorothy Dunnett. These women had an phenomenal ability to transport and immerse their readers into fascinating times in history to experience the life and culture of a distant past. If you have Scandinavian ancestors, be sure to check out the translated works of <b><i>Sigrid Undset.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter T!</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-3417897301382255302015-04-21T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-21T17:00:14.362-07:00R is for Ragnilda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wQ1sA1MHvAU/VTaD9Cn37VI/AAAAAAAANZw/IFbDvm63cHI/s1600/R%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wQ1sA1MHvAU/VTaD9Cn37VI/AAAAAAAANZw/IFbDvm63cHI/s1600/R%2Bcover.PNG" height="220" width="400" /></a></div>
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Today we are back to Old Norse names. My family file has 7 instances (all from Sweden) of variations of the theme of <b><i>Ragnilda</i></b>: 2 females are named <b><i>Ragna</i></b> (the diminutive and more common form used today); 2 are named <b><i>Ragnhild</i></b>; 2 are named <b><i>Ragnilla</i></b>; and 1 is named <b><i>Ragnilda</i></b>.<br />
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All people have certain naming traditions and reasons for them. The idea behind the Scandinavian tradition of "<b><i>calling up</i></b>" an ancestor by giving the ancestor's name to a child was to honor the ancestor, imbue the child with that person's virtues, and provide for the rebirth of that ancestor's spirit (the belief that something of that person would live on in the child so named). A knowledge of Norse mythology is useful in "decoding" Scandinavian names. These names are based on single or compound elements and based on qualities or the good fortune of the gods that the parents wanted the child to have. An excellent discussion of Old Norse names and naming patters is found at <a href="http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ONNames.shtml">The Viking Answer Lady</a> (I have only mentioned a few points here. This is a great site if you have Scandinavian heritage and want to learn more about it.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FyV-G22IH-4/VTaD9KwSUhI/AAAAAAAANZ0/sjP-sKrlHKU/s1600/R%2B02.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FyV-G22IH-4/VTaD9KwSUhI/AAAAAAAANZ0/sjP-sKrlHKU/s1600/R%2B02.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>life is a never-ending circle<br />"calling up" our ancestors - a Scandinavian tradition</i></b></td></tr>
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<b><i>Ragnilda</i></b> means "all knowing power" and the Old Norse form of the name is <b style="font-style: italic;">Ragnhildr </b>which is made up of <i>compound elements</i> (2 elements) Ragn (council/advice) + hild (fight/battle)<b style="font-style: italic;">. </b>To see the meaning of Viking given names and their use in Scandinavia today check out <a href="http://viking.no/e/heritage/e-viking_given_names.htm">Viking Given Names</a>.<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b> <b><i>Ragnilda</i></b> and its variations is found in a limited number of countries, including Denmark, Norway and Sweden (<b><i>Ragnhild</i></b>), Iceland (<b><i>Ragnhildur</i></b>), Ireland (<b><i>Raghnailt</i></b>), and Scotland (<b><i>Raghnaid</i></b>). In the Gaelic speaking countries, <b><i>Raghnailt</i></b> is mostly found between the 12th and 16th centuries.<br />
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<b><i>Do you have any Old Norse names in your family file?</i></b> Why not see what qualities or ancestors their parents wanted to "call up."<br />
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter S. </i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-63057126575052810422015-04-20T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-20T17:00:00.301-07:00Q is for Quinn<div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8CV6-mUdD6s/VTVD4NiUyGI/AAAAAAAANYc/Ogo2pfD3im0/s1600/Q%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8CV6-mUdD6s/VTVD4NiUyGI/AAAAAAAANYc/Ogo2pfD3im0/s1600/Q%2Bcover.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are very few given names that begin with the letter Q. Most are Arabic, Asian and African American and Native American given names and those groups are not in my family file. The one given name we have in our family tree is <b><i>Quinn </i></b>(it does not come from my Scandinavian ancestors though and our Quinn is one of our younger family members!). <b><i>Quinn</i></b> is a given name for both males and females and comes from an Irish surname "<b><i>O Cuinn</i></b>" meaning descendant of <b><i>Conn </i></b>(and <b><i>Conn</i></b> means "chief" in Irish Gaelic) - this information is from <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/conn">Behind the Name</a>. (<i>Notice the crown word cloud to go with this example</i>.) It is a popular name in Canada and the United States for girls and a popular name for boys in England, Wales, the Netherlands and New Zealand. In Irish (<b><i>Conn</i></b>), English (<b><i>Quin</i></b>) and most recently in Irish and English (<b><i>Quinn</i></b>). </div>
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<b><i>Do you have any given names in your family files that begin with the letter Q?</i></b> - that is definitely an unusual one!</div>
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter R </i></b>(many more names to choose from).</div>
Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-65578020220575435802015-04-18T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-18T17:00:10.711-07:00P is for Peder<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4DzctoRAVD0/VTKY_y-Q4SI/AAAAAAAANTI/vzHCGQsPEiE/s1600/Peder%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4DzctoRAVD0/VTKY_y-Q4SI/AAAAAAAANTI/vzHCGQsPEiE/s1600/Peder%2Bcover.PNG" height="220" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peder and Mali named their 4th child Peter (he died in childhood) <br />and their 6th child Petter (born after his brother died)<br />thus continuing the name <b>Peder</b> found on both sides of the family</i></td></tr>
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Today's given name is both a popular one and an easy way to figure out. <b><i>Peder </i></b>is the Scandinavian form of <b><i>Peter</i></b> and is widely used in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. In Norway <b style="font-style: italic;">Peder </b>ranks among the top 100 male names. Variations on the given name <b><i>Peder</i> </b>include <b><i>Petter, Per, Peer</i></b>, and <b><i>Pehr</i></b>; and,<i> </i>for females,<i> <b>Petra</b>. </i>In my family file we have 15 males named <b><i>Peder</i></b> (all Norwegian), 18 name <b><i>Per </i></b>(all Swedish), 6 named <b><i>Pehr</i></b> (all Swedish), 4 named <b><i>Petter</i></b> (all Norwegian), and 22 named <b><i>Peter</i></b> (my Swedish, Norwegian, Irish and Italians all used the spelling of <b><i>Peter </i></b>with their children born in the 1900s).<br />
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<b><i>Peter </i></b>is derived from the Greek <b><i>Petros</i></b> meaning <b style="font-style: italic;">stone </b>or <b style="font-style: italic;">rock</b>. Probably the most famous <b><i>Peter</i></b> is <b><i>Simon Peter</i></b>, one of Jesus' apostles and the first bishop of Rome (Pope of the Roman Catholic Church). The New Testament text for this is "I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this <b><i>rock</i></b> I will build My church; ...." Matthew 16:18, <i>emphasis added.</i> The <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/namedays/name/peter">name day</a> (feast day) for <b><i>Peter</i></b> in most countries is June 29th. (If you want to find your name day check out <a href="http://www.happynameday.com/query.php">Happy Name Day</a>).<br />
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The given name <b><i>Peter</i></b> is used in most countries and shows up as <b><i>Botros</i></b> (Arabic), <b><i>Petri</i></b> (Finnish), <b><i>Petera </i></b>(Maori), <b><i>Pyotr</i></b> (Russian) and <b><i>Pedr</i></b> (Welsh) as well as most languages/countries in between. To learn more about the given name <b><i>Peder</i></b> and all its variations - check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/peder">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
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<b><i>See you back here on Monday for the letter Q </i></b>(<i>that one might require some work!</i>)Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-42700928645937840312015-04-17T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-17T17:00:10.966-07:00O is for Olaf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3spVS7wffN8/VTE8iRz6JHI/AAAAAAAANQs/bTeKJzQFoRc/s1600/Olaf%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3spVS7wffN8/VTE8iRz6JHI/AAAAAAAANQs/bTeKJzQFoRc/s1600/Olaf%2Bcover.PNG" height="218" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Olaf </i></b>comes from the Old Norse name Aleifr meaning "ancestor's descendent" and is a popular name in both Norway and Sweden. It is the name of kings (5 kings of Norway) and saints (Saints <b><i>Olaf</i></b> I and II). Unlike many other given names, <b><i>Olaf </i></b>is found mainly in Scandinavian countries. Variants for <b><i>Olaf</i></b> include Olav, Oluf, Ola, and Ole. Interestingly, where Olaf (in variant form) appears in Ireland and Scotland, it takes it spelling from the Old Norse - Amhlaoibh (Irish) and Amhlaidh or Aulay (Scottish). To learn more about the name <b><i>Olaf</i></b> check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/olaf">Behind the Name</a>. My family file has 2 males named <b><i>Olaf</i></b> (both Swedish), 6 named <b><i>Ola</i></b> (Norwegian), and 7 named <b><i>Ole</i></b> (6 Norwegian and 1 American).<br />
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To learn more about <b><i>Olaf II</i></b> (<b><i>Olafr Haraldsson</i></b>, known as <b><i>Olfa the Stout</i></b> during his kingship (1016-1030) and <b style="font-style: italic;">Olaf the Holy </b>after he was canonized) check out the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_II_of_Norway">Wikipedia article</a>. St. Olaf College, located in Minnesota, was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers and named for <b><i>Olaf II</i></b>. St. Olaf College has an excellent Scandinavian program and maintains impressive special collections of Norwegian historical materials gathered from Norway and the United States.<br />
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter P.</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-70560763604289733582015-04-16T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-16T17:00:15.199-07:00N is for Nils<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ud2UvCwNAi4/VTAeHnk0hHI/AAAAAAAANN0/mYNveQzKFmk/s1600/nils%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ud2UvCwNAi4/VTAeHnk0hHI/AAAAAAAANN0/mYNveQzKFmk/s1600/nils%2Bcover.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Patronymic naming patterns<br />Scandinavians make the search easier!</i></td></tr>
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Although we only have 8 <b><i>Nils</i></b> in my family file, <b><i>Nils</i></b> is a very popular given name in both Norway and Sweden. <b><i>Nils</i></b> is the Swedish and Norwegian form of Nicholas. Swedish variations are Claes, Klas and Nels. <b><i>Nicholas</i></b> or one of its variations is found in most countries - from Nikola (Basque) to Niklas (Finnish) to Niccolo (Italian) to Nikolaj (Slovene) to Mykola (Ukrainian) and many languages in between. Nicholas comes from the Greek and means "victory of the people" (<a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/nicholas">Behind the Name</a>). Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants as well as the countries of Greece and Russia, and he served as the basis for Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas).<br />
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As you can see with the Scandinavian patronymic naming patterns, I am able to place my "<b><i>Nils</i></b>" between the grandfather and the grandson. It's time to get back to my Swedish research to bring Lars Nilsson's family forward and see if he had any sons to name <b><i>Nils</i></b>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26b8oiPstcQ/VTAeHT_vbWI/AAAAAAAANNw/b1ms3YvJU1M/s1600/nils%2B02.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26b8oiPstcQ/VTAeHT_vbWI/AAAAAAAANNw/b1ms3YvJU1M/s1600/nils%2B02.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>from Lars to Nils to Lars</i></td></tr>
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter O!</i></b></div>
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<br />Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-68861532153793479792015-04-15T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-16T14:08:15.062-07:00M is for Marit<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MsNgkHWrmiY/VTAeq-o5GdI/AAAAAAAANOE/FGbVez5yIV8/s1600/marit%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MsNgkHWrmiY/VTAeq-o5GdI/AAAAAAAANOE/FGbVez5yIV8/s1600/marit%2Bcover.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>the pearls in my family file</i></td></tr>
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Sliding in late (hey, it's tax day in the USA!) we focus on the given name of <b><i>Marit</i></b>. Found in both Sweden and Norway, <b><i>Marit</i></b> is one of the most popular girl's names. <b><i>Marit</i></b> is the Swedish and Norwegian form of <b><i>Margaret</i></b> (which shows up quite a bit on the Irish side of my family tree). Scandinavian variants of <b><i>Marit</i></b> are Margareta, Margit, Merit, Margrethe and Marita. Margaret and any number of variations are found in most languages and countries - from Margarida (Catalan) to Maret (Estonian) to Mairead (Irish) to Margareta (Romanian to Mereid (Welsh) and every language in between. To see all the variations, visit <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/marit">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
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<b><i>Margaret</i></b> is derived from Latin and the name means "pearl." In my family file we have 51 females named <b><i>Marit</i></b> - 34 from Sweden and 17 from Norway. One of my favorite "pearls" is my second great grandmother <b><i>Marit Larsdotter</i></b> who, with her husband <b><i>Elof Larsson</i></b> (no relation!) and their grown children, left Sweden in 1882 at the age of 52 and came to the United States. Leaving the only place they had ever known, at that age, to make a new life for themselves in Minnesota must have been quite daunting. Whenever I take on an especially difficult or intimidating task, I think of <b><i>Marit </i></b>and her courageous journey. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udNpbEXyLeE/VTAeqsGStKI/AAAAAAAANOA/ubKtiSfmqxk/s1600/marit%2B02.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udNpbEXyLeE/VTAeqsGStKI/AAAAAAAANOA/ubKtiSfmqxk/s1600/marit%2B02.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of my favorite families!</i></td></tr>
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<b><i>Who are the "pearls" in your family tree? Why not tell their stories.</i></b><br />
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See you back here next time for the letter N.<br />
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<br />Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-27568049847350047212015-04-14T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-14T18:01:12.731-07:00L is for Lars<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IfTDSJdVKtw/VS2ugL_WW5I/AAAAAAAANM0/Uj45iwY1G-c/s1600/lars%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IfTDSJdVKtw/VS2ugL_WW5I/AAAAAAAANM0/Uj45iwY1G-c/s1600/lars%2Bcover.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>3 sons named Lars <br />I need to get back to my research on this family!</i></td></tr>
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The proverbs "If at first you don't succeed, Try, try, try again" or "Third time's the charm" seem to fit this family. Three sons were born and named <b><i>Lars</i></b> before one survived. It is quite common in my Irish and Scandinavian families to reuse a given name if a child dies (as it usually was that of a grandparent). Sadly the father, Erik Hansen, died when <b><i>Lars</i></b> was just 15 years old. It appears I had only partially researched this family (thankfully I made copies of the <i>bygdebok</i> pages while in Salt Lake City). When I noticed I only had the bare bones of my research entered into Legacy, I went back to find the <i>bygdebok </i>pages. Happily I found <b><i>Lars Eriksen Skjelstadsveen </i></b>at Hammertrøen (page 489). <b><i>Lars</i></b> married twice and had seven children. His daughter <b><i>Mali</i></b> and her husband <b><i>Anders</i></b> took over the farm (and had two children). Now to go back and find the corresponding birth/baptism, marriage, death/burial and census records to piece together what happened to <b><i>Lars</i></b>, his two wives and seven children. <b><i>I definitely need to get back to my Norwegian research!</i></b><br />
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But before I do that - <b><i>Lars </i></b>is a Scandinavian name that means victorious. <b><i>Lars</i></b> is used in Denmark, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. It is a very popular name (<b><i>Lars</i></b> appears 44 times in my family file, 37 times for Sweden, 6 for Norway, and 1 for the USA, of course - Minnesota!). <b><i>Lars</i></b> is the Scandinavian form of Laurence which derives from the Latin laurus or "laurel." St. Laurence was a 3rd century deacon who according to legend was martyred from Rome. St. Laurence is a popular saint's name and variations of the name are used all over the world - from Croatia (Lovro) to France (Laurent) to Portugal (Lourenco) to Slovenia (Lovrenc) and many countries in between. To learn more about the names <b><i>Lars </i></b>and <b><i>Laurence</i></b> check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/lars">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter M!</i></b><br />
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Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-68367765352296910142015-04-13T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-13T17:00:16.142-07:00K is for Karin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-erT5bNOIX-4/VSxA2CYijDI/AAAAAAAANMI/yBgnQWXwQmM/s1600/karin%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-erT5bNOIX-4/VSxA2CYijDI/AAAAAAAANMI/yBgnQWXwQmM/s1600/karin%2Bcover.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
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We have 17 females in my Legacy database with the given name of <b><i>Karin</i></b> and all of them are Swedish. <b><i>Karin</i></b> is the Swedish short form of Katherine or Kadhrin and it is commonly used in Denmark, Germany, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The Scandinavian meaning of <b><i>Karin</i></b> is "pure." Both <b><i>Karin</i></b> and <b><i>Carin</i></b> are used (although each of our instances is spelled with a K). August 2 is the name day for <b><i>Karin</i></b> in both Sweden and Norway. To learn more about the name <b><i>Karin</i></b> check out <a href="http://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Karin">Nordic Names</a>.<br />
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A variation on Katherine is found in most languages from Basque (Katalin) to Hawaiian (Kakalina) to Polish (Karina) to Welsh (Catrin). <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/katherine">Behind the Name</a> states that the etymology for Katherine is debated and could derive from the Greek "each of two", from the name of the goddess Hecate, or from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name." <br />
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<i><b>Tomorrow it will be time to return to a male name - see you back here for the letter L! </b></i>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-24202903517858116372015-04-11T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-11T18:59:25.290-07:00J is for Johanna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMstQB6DWuo/VSnQ4m-Xy1I/AAAAAAAANGk/-sdwj0yCFYg/s1600/johanna%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMstQB6DWuo/VSnQ4m-Xy1I/AAAAAAAANGk/-sdwj0yCFYg/s1600/johanna%2Bcover.PNG" height="226" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>a partial listing of my Johannas</i></td></tr>
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<b><i>Johanna</i></b> appears in my family file 31 times. The name <b><i>Johanna</i></b> is very common and comes from the Latin Ioanna. <b><i>Johanna</i></b> is the feminine form of Ioannes (or John). And the spelling of John/<b><i>Johanna</i></b> is used in the New Testament - John was a disciple of Christ, and there are more than a few Johns who are saints (see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_John">Saint John</a>). <b><i>Johanna</i></b> is among the 100 most popular girl's names in Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands and Norway.<br />
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<b><i>Johanna</i></b> has a tremendous number of variations - everything from the African American (Tajuana) to the Welsh (Siwan) and many others in between, including Johanne, Joan, Joanna, Hanna, Jenny, Jonna, Hanne, Jannike, Jenna, Jenni, Chevonne, Shevon, Ivana, Jovana, Ivanka, Nina, Juana, Juanita, and Giovana. For this #AtoZChallenge I have only included my numbers for <b><i>Johanna</i></b>, but I think I will go back and check out all the variations, perhaps in May!<br />
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To learn more about<b><i> Johanna</i></b> or any other given names, check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/johanna">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
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And just for the record, while working on the letter J, I discovered <b><i>I have 233 males in my family tree with the given names James</i></b> (something for next year!).<br />
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<b><i>See you back here on Monday for the letter K!</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-73384386753237824642015-04-10T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-11T18:35:08.086-07:00I is for Ingeborg<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lphLEqqb0jE/VSnJYnnRq1I/AAAAAAAANGM/whOeKoj0sUk/s1600/Ingeborg%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lphLEqqb0jE/VSnJYnnRq1I/AAAAAAAANGM/whOeKoj0sUk/s1600/Ingeborg%2Bcover.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ingeborg - from grandmother to granddaughter</i></td></tr>
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This one comes as a bit of a surprise - <b><i>Ingeborg</i></b> appears 43 times in my family file! Now admit it - you don't hear the name <b><i>Ingeborg</i></b> much in the United States. However, it is a common name in Norway and Sweden. 15 of my Ingeborgs were Norwegian, 27 were Swedish, and 1 was American (of course, she was born in Minnesota).<br />
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<b><i>Ingeborg </i></b>is "from the Old Norse name Ingibjorg, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god ING combined with bjorg meaning "help, save, rescue." (from <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/ingeborg">Behind the Name</a>). <b><i>Ingeborg</i></b> is found in Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden. In Norway, Ingeborg is the 75th most popular girl's name! Variations on <b><i>Ingeborg</i></b> include Ingebjorg, Ingeburg, Inga, Inge, and Inka.<br />
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As you can see from the cover family view (above), often the mother's name was given to a daughter and/or a granddaughter, and the given name continues down through the family tree. Kerstin's mother <b><i>Ingeborg</i></b> is the first occurrence of the name in my family tree and Kerstin gave the name to her first daughter.<br />
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What I have noticed so far with my theme of given names for the #AtoZChallenge is that Scandinavian given names come from Norse gods and are often associated with strength, honor or battle, while Irish given names come from the Bible and reflect various Saints' names (must have been that baptism requirement!).<br />
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<b><i>Where do your given names come from and do they meander through your family tree in each generation?</i></b><br />
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Hope to see you back here tomorrow for the letter J.Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-40222792135403932892015-04-09T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-09T17:42:06.947-07:00H is for Halvard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iRlHqKWMLK4/VScbDasDrCI/AAAAAAAANCM/Lqudbmwct6s/s1600/H%2Bcover%2Bsm.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iRlHqKWMLK4/VScbDasDrCI/AAAAAAAANCM/Lqudbmwct6s/s1600/H%2Bcover%2Bsm.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
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The given name<b style="font-style: italic;"> Halvard</b> (and its variants <b><i>Halfvard</i></b> and <b><i>Halvord</i></b>) shows up in my family file on the Swedish branch of the tree. All ten instances originate in Sweden between 1720 and 1879. Although common in the early church records I reviewed, <b><i>Halvard</i></b> does not appear to be a common given name in the 20th or 21st century. Interestingly, <b><i>Halvard</i></b> "comes from the Old Norse name <b><i>Hallvaror</i></b>, which meant rock guardian." The name was used in both Norway and Sweden. To learn more about given names, check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/halvard">Behind the Names</a>.<br />
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Do you notice anything interesting on the family view above? Do you think perhaps I have made a mistake or error in data entry for the Elofsson/Halvardsdotter family?<br />
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Actually, I have a rather interesting instance of <b><i>Halvard</i></b> in my family file. <b><i>Halvard Larsson</i></b> was born in 1840 and he was the younger brother of my 2nd great grandfather <b><i>Elof Larsson</i></b> (who was born in 1833). What is interesting about <b><i>Halvard</i></b> is that he was <b><i>born two years after his father of record</i></b> (my 3rd great grandfather) <b><i>died</i></b>. Amazing right!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wB_axG978b8/VScbJoOPPlI/AAAAAAAANCU/ZpE41Qw-7g8/s1600/halvard%2B01.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wB_axG978b8/VScbJoOPPlI/AAAAAAAANCU/ZpE41Qw-7g8/s1600/halvard%2B01.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hmm, their mother <b><i>Anna Halvardsdotter</i></b> later remarried (a <b><i>Halvard Halvardsson</i></b>) and had two additional children (take another look at the family view above). The church records for Halvard Larsson's birth and baptism name the father as Lars Elofsson (although clearly the priest knew he could not be the father) and all the children from both marriages were raised together. In 1869 <b><i>Halvard Larsson</i></b> left for North America (Minnesota to be exact) and in 1882 his brother <b><i>Elof Larsson</i></b> followed suit. They farmed on adjoining properties in Wright County, Minnesota. Both helped set up and were long time members of the Oster Covenant Church (a traditional Lutheran church not associated with either synod - in fact English was not spoken or used for record-keeping until the late 1960s).<br />
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Unlike the Norwegians we met yesterday who made a point of correctness in their records, the Swedish HERs don't fudge dates but they do leave clues as to the truth - so trust but verify when using Household Examination Records! Life is always fascinating.<br />
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter I!</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-36614812086925236182015-04-08T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-08T17:00:59.509-07:00G is for Gunhild, Gunnil & Gurina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KcztNOdkXzE/VSW9twoaESI/AAAAAAAAM_M/6pgABZD9waY/s1600/G%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KcztNOdkXzE/VSW9twoaESI/AAAAAAAAM_M/6pgABZD9waY/s1600/G%2Bcover.PNG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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The letter G provides three names that show up in my Norwegian branch of the family tree. <i><b>Gunhild, Gunnil </b>and<b> Gurina</b></i> are all variations on the Old Norse <b><i>Gunnhildr</i></b> - meaning "battle or war maiden." Variations in Sweden and Norway are Gunhilda, Gunnhild, and Gurine. The meaning and variations are found at <a href="http://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Gunnil">Nordic Names</a>. We have 3 women named <b><i>Gunhild</i></b>, 1 named <b><i>Gunnil</i></b> and 5 named <i><b>Gurina</b></i> in our family tree.<br />
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I like this name and it is actually quite fitting in the case of <b><i>Gunnil Haagensdatter</i></b>, my 4th great-grandmother. I remember when I found the entries in the <b><i>bygdebok</i></b> (Norwegian farm book), the church records and 1801 Norway census while researching at the Family History Library. I took the scans up to the Scandinavian desk and asked the consultant to translate the notes I found in both the church records and the census (since I don't speak Norwegian). It seems that <b><i>Gunnil</i></b> got pregnant by the cavalryman (<b><i>Peder Pedersen</i></b>) assigned to her town/village. Since it was his first transgression, he was not required to acknowledge or provide for the child (I am glad that times have changed!).<br />
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There is a paragraph about the witnesses who testified as to who they thought the father was and why. As a result, Peder was named as the father on the birth/baptism register (and everyone knew your business!). Peder later went on to later marry and raise a family, all of which is found in the bygdebok. Gunnil did not remain in her village but moved away and raised her son on her own (I still need to find out information about her family - add that to my to-do list). She must have had to be a strong woman or "war maiden." It could not have been easy to have this information published in the church records and to have her son Peder listed as her illegitimate child on the census. I do appreciate the honesty of the records, knowing that Gunnil made a life for herself and her son, and that he went on to marry and have a family of his own - <b><i>life happens!</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J_18pdVIfqo/VSW92Zm5d_I/AAAAAAAAM_U/tI5QL6nwi8s/s1600/g%2B01.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J_18pdVIfqo/VSW92Zm5d_I/AAAAAAAAM_U/tI5QL6nwi8s/s1600/g%2B01.PNG" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>See you back here tomorrow for the letter H!</i></b>Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-29524243231388350822015-04-07T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-07T17:00:09.697-07:00F is for Francis (or Frances)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4auaXgisLgo/VSQq90gLf_I/AAAAAAAAM9s/9cYt5lT5yfI/s1600/francis%2Bsm%2Bcover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4auaXgisLgo/VSQq90gLf_I/AAAAAAAAM9s/9cYt5lT5yfI/s1600/francis%2Bsm%2Bcover.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
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Both the Slovenians and Irish in my family tree have a Roman Catholic tradition (both at home and in the United States). The Swedish and Norwegians brought their Lutheran tradition with them (of course farther back than I have been able to get in both Sweden and Norway, I am guessing they started out as Catholics as well) when they immigrated to the United States. However, somewhere along the way when those groups mingled and married, the Catholic tradition re-emerged.<br />
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As a result we have several individuals named <b><i>Francis</i></b> (male) or <b><i>Frances</i></b> (female), although the given name is overwhelmingly found on the Irish branch of my family tree. The name <b><i>Francis</i></b> and its variations is found in several languages, everything from Basque (<b><i>Frantzisko</i></b>) to Welsh (<b><i>Ffransis</i></b>) and many languages in between. Those named Frances or Francis often go by Fran, Franny, Cissy, Fannie, Fanny (females) and Frank or Frankie (males).<br />
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Francis comes from the Latin <b><i>Franciscus</i></b>, which meant Frenchman. Perhaps the most famous Francis in history is <b><i>Saint Francis of Assisi</i></b>, closely followed by <b><i>Saint Francis Xavier</i></b> and <b><i>Saint Francis de Sales</i></b>. Today, of course the current leader of the Roman Catholic Church took as his papal name <b><i>Francis</i></b> in honor of <b><i>Francis of Assisi</i></b> " a man of peace, a man of poverty, a man who loved and protected creation." And so in 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became <b><i>Pope Francis</i></b> - the first time that name has been used.<br />
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<b><i>Do you have anyone is your family tree named Francis or Frances?</i></b><br />
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To learn more about any given names in your own family tree, check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/francis">Behind the Name</a>.Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-38620502113094171692015-04-06T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-06T17:00:10.792-07:00E is for Elof<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzsiW7o-_xE/VSLjVHj97dI/AAAAAAAAM80/GZ2v6XcyF-I/s1600/Elof%2B01.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzsiW7o-_xE/VSLjVHj97dI/AAAAAAAAM80/GZ2v6XcyF-I/s1600/Elof%2B01.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Elof </i></b>is a very common Swedish given name and comes from the Old Norse Eileifr, "which was derived from the elements ei "ever, always" and leifr "descendent, heir." (<i>from</i> the <b><i>Behind the Name</i> </b>website) <b><i>Elof</i></b> is used in Denmark as well as Sweden. Since the Swedish are among those who use the patronymic naming system, I like the thought that Elof means "always descendent." As you can see the father gives his name to his children (it becomes their surname) and the tradition continued. That tradition was often broken when families left Sweden for America.<br />
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When my great grandfather <b><i>Elof Larsson</i></b> left Sweden, he and his family took on their farm name as their surname (originally Leidman and soon after Lidman) - that surname is listed on the ship's manifest as well as their arrival documents. I maintain the original given and surname for each of my ancestors and note name changes (both formal and informal) in the AKA and event/fact sections.<br />
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<b><i>How do you keep track of your immigrant ancestors' original names?</i></b><br />
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To learn more about given names in Sweden and elsewhere, check out <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/elof">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
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<b><i>Come back tomorrow for the letter F!</i></b><br />
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<br />Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8665212230266860035.post-3777540918646258992015-04-04T17:00:00.000-07:002015-04-04T17:00:03.672-07:00D is for Doret<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The given name <b><i>Doret </i></b>is the short form of Dorothea and is found both in Sweden and Norway<b style="font-style: italic;">. </b>Dorothea means<b style="font-style: italic;"> "gift of God." </b>There are several variations on the name Doret, including Dorte, Dorete, Dorothy, Thea, and Dora. Doret is an <b><i>uncommon</i></b> given name. While I have family members with the variations on this name - 5 named Dora, 1 named Dorothea, and 17 named Dorothy -the name Doret <b><i>appears once</i></b> in my Legacy database. Perhaps that is why I chose it for today's post.<br />
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Sadly, I know very little about my Doret. She was born in 1796 in Hegra, Norway and she appears in the bygdebok with her family. She also appears on the 1801 Norway census, but I did not find her on the 1865 census and have not found any further information. Perhaps it is time to revisit my Norwegian research (search a few nearby farms and also look for church records) to see if I can find out a bit more about Doret.<br />
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<b><i>Do you have any unusual names in your family - names that only appear once or twice? What is the most unusual given name in your family?</i></b><br />
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To learn more about the meaning, origins, and frequency of given names from around the world - check out <a href="http://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Doret">Nordic Names</a> or <a href="http://www.behindthename.com/name/dorothea">Behind the Name</a>.<br />
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<br />Tessa Keoughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146870113899850353noreply@blogger.com2