Jane I don't know about your Judith, Catherine, Margaret, Anne, and Honor examples but Thomas is a last name. (For example Canadian Dave Thomas was of the SCTV troup that went on to play on Saturday Night Live with Canadians John Belushi/Dan Akroyd et al). Thomas would be his grandmothers maiden name. Taking your text on face value I have never seen cross naming of first names only last. Larry O'Brien ---------- I'm working a register at the moment and in it all the men (grooms) have a second Christian name. As far as I know this is unusual - Catholic register pre 1800.......... What I'm finding more unusual is that many of thse names are women's names. Not just Mary which was a common enoughname to give to boys - but Judith, Catherine, Josephine, Margaret, Anne, Honor. There are also instances of the men having the same Christian name listed twice. So - has anyone any comments. I know I've looked at a fair few registers and never seen this before - anywhere..... A forward looking parish priest? Someone who just listed the Confirmation name taken by these men? Surely not that many men took womens names as their confirmation name.... The name of their father or mother - if one was dead. James James being James the son of James..... The second name....the extra one seems to come first....because all the women's names are listed first.... So - Josephine Thomas is Thomas the son of Joesephine? Where are all those genealogists.... How many people have seen it before. It's a Laois register and I've not seen it in Laois before either??? Jane :-) ______________________________