Dear Susan, Regarding your second question, Bartholomew and Matthew are not generally interchangeable. In the cases you cite, the use of one or the other is an example of the tendency for Irish men, at least in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, to use one or other of two forenames. One forename was the baptismal name (from 1864 onwards, also the name likely to be found on the civil registration birth certificate); the other was usually the father's name. In censuses, on marriage and death certificates, and when they are named in Catholic church records other than their own baptismal record, either name may be found. Until the late nineteenth century relatively few males in Ireland received two names at baptism or civil registration of birth. For those born earlier, the second name was informal and only rarely were both names used at the same time. The reason for using the father's forename instead of the baptismal name was to distinguish between first cousins with the same name. Since first sons were named after their paternal grandfathers there might be half a dozen or more cousins with the same name. So was your Mr Curran baptized Bartholomew or Matthew? Well he may have been the son of a Matthew and baptized Bartholomew or the son of a Bartholomew and baptized Matthew. Without the baptismal records it's only possible to guess. Best wishes, Seán (whose mother refused to call him Cornelius after his paternal grandfather) ________________________________ From: Susan Haines <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, May 3, 2013 5:16 AM Subject: [GLA] Bartholomew/ Matthew Curran Hello, Does anyone "know" a Bartholomew or Matthew Curran?  He was born in Ireland about 1843; I think Kerry, but am only guessing.  He married Mary Grady (daughter of John and Bridget Shea Grady) in 1867.  She was born in Kerry, Ireland in 1845 or so.  They had one daughter, Mary, in Dowlais in 1868, and they went to New Haven, CT where they had more children: Michael, Katie (about whom I know much more), Denise, Nellie and Bridget.  I would like to know where in Ireland Bartholomew came from, as I hope it might direct me to where Gradys and Sheas came from? I have another question: was it "common" to interchange the names Bartholomew and Matthew?  I have seen Mr. Curran's name as both. There are two others in my family with those names - my 3rd great uncle (I know almost nothing about my 3rd great grandfather who seems to have abandoned the family) and his son.  Sometimes they are Bartholomew and some times Matthew and it isn't entirely just to keep them separate from each other. Thank you.  Sue --