Name Origins

[AthenaLou]

I wondered if anyone on the boards would have any info on a really unusual name I have found in my maternal family tree.......I have managed, over the last day or so, to trace back to 1865. My mother's maiden name was RANKIN, I have gone back through her mother's side and discovered MIDDLETON's, BARHAM's and BROOK's. My great great grandfather is the one with the very unusal name, with different spellings on different census and marriage entries. His name was OLDTHEN BARHAM. Other spellings of the name are OLDERTHEN, OLDTAN and OLDTHAN. Seeing as this is such an unusual name I would like to know where it originated.

 

[juliejtp]

Hi Anthealou,

No luck in finding anthing about the name Oldthan.

My grandads 1st name is usually used a a surname and I 've assumed he was name after a uncle as they share the same christian and surname. This may be the case with Oldthan, though havn't been able to find a surname with that spelling (probaly corrupted along the way). So you may find the further back you go, a similar name may crop up.