The following URL has a very nice explanation of 18th Century PA-German naming customs. One of the things explained is exactly what you're talking about. Although the site specifies this as "PA-German" naming customs, I found the same thing in several villages from the 17th through 19th centuries in the Rhinehesse region. > > AND all the sons were named Johann. Only the middle names changed. > > Yes I have thought about it. I don't know what to do about it. > > What do you other listers do about the practice of a father who names all > his kids his own name? The Catholic Church records in the Rhinehesse region I have looked at name the child's whole name at baptism, sometimes at marriage, and sometimes at the baptism of children. Almost never is the whole name included at death and often not during the children's baptisms. Joannes Jacob Schmidt at baptism; at marriage and death he was listed as Jacob Schmidt....NEVER as Joannes.