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(I posted this in the historical forum, but I realize that it should go in this forum)
In my research I have come across very strange or unique sounding first names. Names such as Impure, and Errrrrrrrrrrra. I am researching my Native American roots going on Oral Tradition. Do these names have some sort of Native American meaning? They are from Bertie NC (Piney Woods, Indian Woods region). The one named “Errrrrrrrra” went by Emma but my grandmother said that she was Native American and her name was very long and difficult to pronounce so everyone just called her Emma. I saw Errrrrrrrra on her son’s Marriage Certificate when it asked for him to name his parents.
I’m afraid I can’t add much on the given names, but I seem to remember F. Roy Johnson, a eastern NC historian who wrote about the Tuscarora of Bertie Co. (whose reservation included Indian Woods, as I recall) talking about some of the Smallwoods being of Indian descent. I’ll see if I can find it.
Forest
Peace Rhoadie
We have odd names and spelling too, but not the same ones- so far. And census spelling just made it was worse. Our Froney was Saphronia, and we have a lot of Lovinia. Ruffin- and you can imagine what happened
Anyway,
While doing research in NC I ran into a relative coming from the Bertie side. So I don’t know how it all connects, but hang in there; connections do surface in time.
I do have Jones as well. Another thing about the names, a lot of the women in our family didn’t change their last name.
Akhasa
Using names.whitepages.com and namestatistics.com you can gauge the uniqueness of a name. White Pages gives an overall rank for the name, lists the total number in the US and the Top States for each name.
Dora (male and female) and Seneca (male) are names common to several of my ancestors. These names from my family are not unique but relatively rare:
Dora (male) (common as female name but not for males)
Seneca (male) #6,621 (2261 in the US – highest in Wyoming)
Ballard (male) #10,090 (1224 in the US – highest in Kentucky)
Sonna (female) #15,037 (685 in the US – highest in Alaska)
Adelma (male) #23,786 (for females – much rarer as male name)
Parthena (female) #24,228 (344 in the US – highest in Connecticut)
Massa (female) #24,883 (331 in the US – highest in Alaska)
Zillah (female) #28,945 (266 in the US – highest in DC)
Thankful (female) #137,629 (30 in the US – highest in Delaware)
Fawcet (male) #499,005 (5 in the US – highest in Alaska)
Mehitable (female) #1,230,907 (2 in the US – 1 in VA, 1 in NC)
Mehitable must have been a more popular name at one point – there are at least 3 among my ancestors.
My grandfather and his best friend from high school named their first born children (middle name) after each other. His friend’s name was J. Not short for anything just J. This does not show up at all so may be unqiue. Although Johhny Cash’s real name was actually JR Cash – kind of the same thing.
My ancestor who said she was Blackfoot was named Jereda Teal. At least, that’s how its spelled on a census.
Some more interesting names in my tree and associated families:
Purviance – male middle name – Levi Purviance Taylor
males named Oda mistakeny recorderd as female in census.
Mazo Cozene Buck
Gillaspy Wirey Marshall
Gillaspy is probably named for a surname in the family. I have seen my Gillespy spelled in that fashion. It was a surname.
I have an unusual one: Arezuma. This would have been the daughter of the woman who called herself Blackfoot in our family.
Techteach
These are not unique but I frequently run into them in mixed-blood families.
Moriah…. not Mariah but Moriah
Uriah…. almost never used by white Christians but often used by mixed-bloods. He was Bathsheba’s husband. King David had him put on the front line so he would be killed and David could marry Bathsheba. I see a bit of ndn humor in play there 😉
Mourning
Osceola
General, Colonel, Captain, Doctor, Squire used as a given name. Popular in black and mixed culture in 1800s
Ishmael…. the son rejected by Abraham (more Christian ndn humor;-)
Sion
Isham
techteach;37528 wrote: Gillaspy is probably named for a surname in the family. I have seen my Gillespy spelled in that fashion. It was a surname.
I suspect the same although I have never seen that surname in my tree or in associated families. Wirey I figured might be Wiley – which is a name in associated families. It seems unusual to give someone three surnames though.
DreamingHawk also mentions Mourning. The mother of Isabel (Wiley) Buck who married my Brower ancestor was Morning Wiley. Isabel’s first husband was Theron Buck. One of their sons was Oda Thuren Buck.
Interesting comment on Uriah, Dreaminghawk. My great-grandfather was Ernest Uriah, and Uriah is also the first name of another Ralston.
We also have Mahala in the family. That is common in mixed bloods. A few names after white heros too, although Daniel Boone is all that comes to mind right now.
I had a Theron in my high school class, I think.
Techteach
Like DreamingHawk I’ve noticed a lot of people named Isham(Isom) in my tree as well. In particular Isham Good(Goad).
Funny you mention Daniel Boone TechTeach – one of my Coppock ancestors has a land deed recording them buying land from Daniel Boone.
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