Unusual Name was a recent prompt for 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks. I wrote about the most unusual name in my family tree – Renatus – a while back. Today I’m writing about a few unusual middle names. My mom, Gladys, and her brother, Carlisle, both had unusual middle names.
circa 1929
Carlisle Entzminger
My uncle, Carlisle Entzminger MARTIN (1915-1977), was the oldest of the eight children born to Daniel and Florrie MARTIN. I noticed my uncle’s unusual middle name right away when I began working on my family history.
I asked my grandma about it. She said that Entzminger was the name of the doctor that delivered my uncle. Perhaps Grandma had a hard time delivering Carlisle. I don’t know, and I didn’t ask.
Gladys Arbutus
My mom’s name was Gladys Arbutus MARTIN HEISER (1921-1999). An arbutus is a flower. I asked Grandma why Arbutus? She said that the morning she had my mom she looked out the window and saw the arbutus blooming. She said it was so pretty that she made it my mom’s middle name.
My mom greatly disliked her middle name, and when she married my dad Arbutus was gone. Mom used her maiden name as her middle name.
Do you have unusual middle names in your family? Please comment below.
Copyright © 2019 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
My Grandmother on my mother’s side (her mother) ; Blanche Browning Martin…the doctor who delivered her , his last name was Browning! Seems that was a popular thing to do for a while, maybe because people couldn’t afford to pay or pay the doctor very much money.
Well, isn’t THAT interesting! Maybe it was a popular thing to do then. I’ll be looking at middle names differently now. Thanks for responding, Linda.
My mom’s cousin was named after both of her grandmothers. Her dad’s mom was named Bea, a lovely name. Her mom’s mom (my great-grandmother) was named Grethel Aroma. Grethel is kind of cool, in an Appalachian-ized “Hansel and Gretel” sort of way but that was not the name that was chosen. I think they threw all the names in a hat and drew them out–and the winners were Bea and Aroma, which they squished together to form Bearoma. The addition of Gale as a middle name was helpful as that was the name she was called but it still didn’t help all of those first days of school when the teacher would call roll–“Bear–, Bea roma, ….?” The poor girl was scarred for life.
I am sure she was dreading every first day of school. What a name to give a kid! That’s a great story.
I think it’s cool your mom was named Arbutus. The story goes that the cast of the Waltons always knew when Grandpa had forgotten his lines for one reason or other because he would always start talking about the trailing arbutus. Seems it often happened during grace and Grandma would kick him under the table to nudge him on toward the “amen” so they could get on with the scene.
I thought it was a cool name, too. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head when I told her I liked it. I guess on the Waltons ‘trailing arbutus’ was Grandpa’s cue for Grandma. I bet the cast all got a laugh out of it. 🙂
My 3rd great-grandmother:
Sarah Vest Monroe
BIRTH 10 JUL 1811 • Kentucky, USA
DEATH 4 SEP 1884 • Alton, Crawford, Indiana, United States
Now that I see your last name of Vest, I wonder if it’s a family name. She married Jonathan Warren Tower.
I wonder, too, if it was a family name. Have you been able to research to Sarah’s parents and beyond? Most of the Vests came from one Vest in Virginia. If you get to that point, then you are related to my children and my late husband’s family. 🙂
My family gave us last names for middle names. Not too weird. My brothers both were given Lee after my 2nd great grandmother, Elizabeth Patience Lee/Martin. One lives on Arbutus Road. I thought that was funny. And me Rossi, after my paternal grandmother Margaret Clara Rossi/DeBruhl.
It’s nice to meet you, Cousin! Thanks for responding. 🙂 My mother-in-law’s family used family last names for middle names, too. That IS funny that one of your brothers lives on Arbutus Road. My mom was born in Richland County actually, in the Lykesland area which I believe is south of Fort Jackson.