Family names
Jul. 3rd, 2006 11:22 amThere are a few family names I'd consider using; keep in mind that, for the most part, my family has been historically poor, uneducated, rural people--Cajuns on my Mom's side, Tennesseans on my Dad's. Many of the names on my Mom's side may not make sense to those of you who are not from around here. Some are traditional Cajun names, while others are just "made up" because family members were illiterate.
One of my great-great-grandmothers was named Alida. This is pronounced ah-lee-DAH, not uh-LEE-duh. I like it. (I also connect it in some ways to the George Strait song "Adalida," hehe.)
My great-grandmothers are Ella Mae, Willia Mae or Willa Mae (I've seen it spelled both ways), Mattie Pearl, and Roberta. (Double names are a common theme on both sides of my family; I have one and so do two of my first cousins.)
My great-great-grandfather was Louis-Henry. He went by L.H. His last name was Noel; lots of my third and fourth cousins are called Noel or Noelle. L.H.'s wife was named Elizabeth and was called Bell. They had fourteen children, including a Stella, a Mabel, a Sadie, and an Elda, along with my great-grandmother Ella Mae (called Mae). I don't know most of their real first names because they mostly used nicknames. Stella was Nanny, Mabel was Cadienne ("Cajun"), there's a Blackie, a Nick (not named Nicholas), and a Snow.
My grandfather was George Joseph; my grandmother is Pattia Jean. She uses "Patti." We have all agreed not to use Pattia.
My other grandfather is John Miller; my grandmother is Margaret Inez; she uses Inez. Her only living sister is Lola Pauline. She uses Pauline.
My father is John Steven; my mom is Camille Renee. She uses Renee.
Other ancestors often talked about include: Telesphore Alexandre and his son, Alexandre Telesphore. If I could find my family tree, I'd be able to spit out some wild Cajun names for you. Some are actually very lovely, but most sound silly to us today.
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The names most likely for me to use are:
Camille
Alida
Louis-Henry
George
One of my great-great-grandmothers was named Alida. This is pronounced ah-lee-DAH, not uh-LEE-duh. I like it. (I also connect it in some ways to the George Strait song "Adalida," hehe.)
My great-grandmothers are Ella Mae, Willia Mae or Willa Mae (I've seen it spelled both ways), Mattie Pearl, and Roberta. (Double names are a common theme on both sides of my family; I have one and so do two of my first cousins.)
My great-great-grandfather was Louis-Henry. He went by L.H. His last name was Noel; lots of my third and fourth cousins are called Noel or Noelle. L.H.'s wife was named Elizabeth and was called Bell. They had fourteen children, including a Stella, a Mabel, a Sadie, and an Elda, along with my great-grandmother Ella Mae (called Mae). I don't know most of their real first names because they mostly used nicknames. Stella was Nanny, Mabel was Cadienne ("Cajun"), there's a Blackie, a Nick (not named Nicholas), and a Snow.
My grandfather was George Joseph; my grandmother is Pattia Jean. She uses "Patti." We have all agreed not to use Pattia.
My other grandfather is John Miller; my grandmother is Margaret Inez; she uses Inez. Her only living sister is Lola Pauline. She uses Pauline.
My father is John Steven; my mom is Camille Renee. She uses Renee.
Other ancestors often talked about include: Telesphore Alexandre and his son, Alexandre Telesphore. If I could find my family tree, I'd be able to spit out some wild Cajun names for you. Some are actually very lovely, but most sound silly to us today.
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The names most likely for me to use are:
Camille
Alida
Louis-Henry
George
no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 06:36 pm (UTC)I can't say Alida properly!
Camille is very very pretty.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 06:59 pm (UTC)I guess one way to explain Alida would be this way: say olly, like the name, then add an emphatic Russian "Da!" to the end.