On Oct 21, 2012, at 10:33 PM, Walth100@aol.com wrote: > Please note that the name was and is not limited to Catholics! Right. This is so obvious when going to original documents. In my great-grandfather's Lutheran family from Michelfeld, Baden, he and all the sons had the first name of Johann. He, being the only son who immigrated to the US. kept it as John (second name was Michael). A brother who was born before him and died as a small child) was also Johann Michel - not an uncommon practice to name a following child after one deceased. Our fourth son, Japanese and American, was born in Geneva, Switzerland a few days before Christmas - we decided his "western" name to be Jean-Noël, and that is what he is called. An older brother is Hanns (after a German bishop friend). A son of our eldest is Hans-Martin. So our family's European heritage is alive. Gloria (Bauer) Ishida > > > In a message dated 10/21/2012 8:37:55 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > gbw1@comcast.net writes: > > Most of the catholic gave at least two first names for the child's > baptism. > Johannes is the first name under which he was baptized. The middle name > Jacob MAY have been used as the common first name as often seen in Alsace, > but I would not say this usage was 100%. > A lot of first names are still nowadays a combination of two in France, > especially with John or Mary; for example Jean-Jacques (Johannes Jacobus > noted below) Jean-Paul, Jean-Marie - for boys; or Marie-Helene, > Marie-Pierre > or Marie-Jeanne - for girls. > I would not disregard the fact that Johannes may have been a name used for > males in the family. > > -Giliane >