Alma and all: There is one important item I forgot to include with naming traditions. This might shed more light on your records. There was extensive use of a spiritual name which leaves you with family members with the same first name. Additionally there was another tradition which was used both with and without repetitive spiritual names which may help you find ancestors names you hadn't thought of. (Of course to make things more complicated there are other variations I won't include just yet which may add to the confusion. Let me know if you have specific question, I can't promise I will be able to help.) In the case of MALE children: M#1 has Father's fathers name ( ff ) M#2 has Mother's fathers name ( mf ) M#3 has Fathers name ( f ) M#4 has Father's grandfathers name (father's-father's-father) ( fff ) M#5 has Mother's grandfathers name (mother's-father's-father) ( mff ) M#6 has Father's mothers father name ( fmf ) M#7 has Mother's Mother's fathers name ( mmf ) It works much the same for FEMALE children: F#1 mother's mother F#2 father's mother F#3 mother F#4 father's father's mother F#5 mother's father's mother F#6 father's mother's mother F#7 mother's mother's mother Sounds very confusing but can unearth clues. EXAMPLE GGfather Jacob/Johannes??? (these are names often interchanged) GrFather Johannes Herche FATHER: Martin Harkey M#1 John Harkey (Johannes Herche) father's father M#2 Henry Harkey (Hinrich Herche) mother's father M#3 Martin Harkey (Martin Herche der Junge) father M#4 Jacob Harkey father's father's father M#5 David Harkey mother's father's father The pattern seems to work here to some extent, I have no information on the mother other than her name. GGmother ? GrMother ? MOTHER: Catherine F#1 Elizabeth Harkey mother's mother F#2 Catherine Harkey father's mother this one doesn't work unless Catherine was father's mothers name or there is a daughter missing on my list who would make Catherine the F#3 named for her mother. I guess you get the idea. Hope it helps! Nina Harkey