Naming Patters: My family have continued the basic naming pattern, with occasional variations. They have basically continued through my father's generation. My Grandmother named her first female child after both Grandmothers, as she herself was named. (Though she was the 2nd female.) I've driven my self crazy chasing the middle names of my Rust Great Great Grandparent's generation. I can find NO connection to any family. (Of course, I haven't found all of the femalee lines either.) If anyone has a clue, I'd love to know it. I have figured they were surely named after admired friends. John RUST, son of Benedict Rust & Jane MIDDLETON, b. 1769, West. Co, VA. Lived in Old Frederick Co, VA. + Elizabeth MARSHALL, b. 1779, Frederick Co, MD. Marshall Woodcock Rust, b. 1801 I can figure. MARSHALL was mom's maiden name. WOODCOCK was an Uncle. John BUSHROD Rust, b. 1811 (Old Fred. Co, VA..now Warren Co, VA.) Charles BUCKNER CARROLL Rust, b. 1816, same location. I find no BUSHRODs, except other relatives who use it for given names. Same for BUCKNER and CARROLL. There is a Charles Carroll in Maryland; but so far, I have not found a connection. I am still missing Elizabeth Marshall's mother's maiden surname. (Also an Elizabeth) All those Rusts were cousins to the Rusts in Fauquier & Loudoun Counties, VA. I've seen family letters which speak of visits between them. Shirley

This has been an interesting thread. If memory serves I seem to recall that in the 1600's and earlier) middle names were a prerogative of the titled and royal. If you run down the index of names in your collection you will see that the general use of a middle name begins to appear about the mid 1700's. pjd 6/16/05