Irish Naming Patterns

By

Edward Kelly

February 2022

The Irish used a very particular naming pattern for children for about two centuries, beginning in the late 1700s and going through the early to mid-1900s. While not all Irish families followed the pattern or followed it exactly, enough of them did that you can use first names with relative certainty to learn more about an Irish ancestor�s unknown lineage. You still need to back it up with some documented proof, as with anything in genealogy, but you can be much more certain of the accuracy of your guesses when you look at the traditional Irish naming pattern and compare it to your family tree.

This is how the Irish (both in Ireland and the first and second generation Irish immigrants to America) named their children for two centuries:

Sons

1. The eldest son was named after the child�s paternal grandfather.

2. The second son was named after the child�s maternal grandfather.

3. The third son was named after the father.

4. The fourth son was named after the child�s eldest paternal uncle.

5. Subsequent sons were named after other paternal uncles, in order of the age of the uncles.

Daughters

1. The eldest daughter was named after the child�s maternal grandmother.

2. The second daughter was named after the child�s paternal grandmother.

3. The third daughter was named after the mother.

4. The fourth daughter was named after the child�s eldest maternal aunt.

5. Subsequent daughters were named after other maternal aunts, in order of the age of the aunts.

Case study for the eldest and the second sons and daughters of the children of Timothy Kelly

Sons

1. Paternal grandfather:

     Timothy (as named by James and Johanna Flynn Kelly);

     William (as named by Michael and Mary O'Brien Kelly);

     Timothy (as named by John and Anna Quinn Kelly);

     Timothy (as named by Daniel and Mary Leahy Kelly).

2.  Maternal grandfather:

     Michael James (as named by James and Johanna Flynn Kelly);

     Michael ((as named by Michael and Mary O'Brien Kelly);

     Nicholas James (as named by John and Anna Quinn Kelly);

     William (as named by Daniel and Mary Leahy Kelly).

Given that three of the four married Kelly brothers named their first son Timothy, one could infer that the forename of their paternal grandfather is Timothy, assuming that the Irish naming pattern was followed by three of the four married Kelly brothers.  Note that this inference or hypothesis is supported by records and documentation, including

the 1850 census record of Forks Township, Sullivan County, PA and the gravestone inscription of Timothy Kelly at St. Basil's Cemetery, Dushore, PA. 

Hanora Kelly Sullivan is excluded from this analysis as the forename of her first son would be that of his paternal Sullivan grandfather.� Similarly, the fifth Kelly brother, William, is excluded from this analysis because he was unmarried.

� Daughters

1. Maternal grandmother:

  Mary (as named by James and Johanna Flynn Kelly);

  Mary (as named by Michael and Mary O'Brien Kelly);

  Mary (as named by John and Anna Quinn Kelly);

  Mary (as named by Daniel and Mary Leahy Kelly).

2. Paternal grandmother:

  Hanora (as named by James and Johanna Flynn Kelly);

  Hanora (as named by Michael and Mary O'Brien Kelly);

  Hanora (as named by John and Anna Quinn Kelly);

  Hanora (as named by Daniel and Mary Leahy Kelly).

Given that all four of the married Kelly brothers named their second daughter Hanora, one could infer that the forename of Timothy Kelly's spouse is Hanora, assuming that the Irish naming pattern was followed by all four of the married Kelly brothers.  Note that this is only an inference or hypothesis which is unsupported by historical records or documentation.

Hanora Kelly Sullivan is excluded from this analysis as the forename of her second daughter would be that of her paternal Sullivan grandmother. Similarly, the fifth Kelly brother, William, is excluded from this analysis because he was unmarried.

Postscript

Helen Elizabeth �Bessie� Kelly Beirne indicates in her pioneering work that the name of the father of the five Kelly brothers on Kelly Hill, Forks Township, Sullivan County, PA is Daniel Kelly and that his wife is Mary Touhey.� Some later writers have preserved this narrative although historical records and other documentation have established that the name of the father of the five Kelly brothers is Timothy Kelly.� Some other later writers state that the name of Timothy Kelly�s wife is Nora Touhey.

Ken Beirne indicates on his website that Nora Touhey is the name of Timothy Kelly's wife.  In a 2021 e-mail, however, Ken Beirne acknowledges that he does not know the name of Timothy Kelly's wife and that no one most likely ever will because no historical records or other documentation appear to be known or available.

Ellen "Nellie" Kelly Bradley states on page 2 of her memoirs which are available on the Sullivan County, PA Genealogy Website that Timothy Kelly's wife is a first cousin of her mother's Grandmother Twohy.  Given that Twohy is presumably the married surname and not the maiden surname of her mother's Grandmother Twohy, Nellie's memoirs would not appear to be a firm basis for stating that the maiden surname of Timothy Kelly's wife is Twohy or Touhey.  Since Nellie's memoirs are silent on the forename of Timothy Kelly's wife, Nellie's memoirs cannot be a basis for stating that the forename of Timothy Kelly's wife is Mary or Nora.

Given that all four of the married Kelly brothers named their second daughter Hanora, one could infer that the forename of Timothy Kelly�s spouse is Hanora, assuming that the Irish naming pattern was followed by all four of the married Kelly brothers.� Note that this is only an inference or hypothesis which is unsupported by historical records or other documentation.