Dear Candace and others, I don't have a pattern for the use of maiden surnames as christian names, however I have generations where children have been given their mother's or grandmother's maiden name as a second christian name. I cannot see a pattern to this and it only seems to happen through my Scottish lines, there is none of this on my three Irish lines. In one family line, with children born between 1855 - 1872, I have a brother and sister both with the same middle name of STEWART which I assume (haven't proved yet) to be their Grandmother's maiden name. In the same family, a further two sisters both have their mother's maiden name as a middle name, this time, ROWAND. These children in turn used their mother's maiden name as a second christian name for my Grandfather, who was William Watson CAMPBELL and one of his sisters was named Margaret Rowand CAMPBELL using her Grandmother's maiden name for a middle name. My Grandfather then carried on this tradition using his mother's maiden name as a second christian name for my mother, while her sister was given the middle name of TAYLOR, which was the maiden name of my Grandmother's mother. Just for the record, I am named Maureen Campbell Tandy, again using my mother's maiden name! I am wondering if this is possibly a tradition limited to Scotland? My theory that the mother's maiden name was used for the first born daughter in order that she would carry on the family name is not upheld as it wasn't the case in my family. I hope this helps in a little way! Best Wishes Maureen