The name "Henry" is a surname as well as a traditional first name and very
often Virginians use a family surname as a middle or even a first name for
their children, male and female.
Hence there are quite a few women whose middle names are names like Stuart,
Warren, Meade, Deane,
Byrd, Tyler, Lindsay, et al. Very often those women are called by their
masculine sounding middle names. This tradition in naming children "family
names" regardless of the gender of those names has been adopted by many
young people of today  who are giving their offspring names like Mackenzie,
Taylor, Tyler, whatever......it is a popular affectation today but most
often has nothing to do with bona fide "family names".
If you have a female ancestor whose middle name is "Henry", I would guess
that, perhaps, it is a family surname....perhaps her mother or grandmother's
maiden name. Which is how I got the name Deane (pronounced Dean).......a
family name.
D.F. Mills
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lonny J. Watro" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 10:44 AM
Subject: Re: the given name "Henry"


> Look for a paternal grandmother. Some of my ancestors were named for their
> paternal grandmothers or even great grandmothers. For instance if your
> ancestor's first name is Elizabeth, look for a paternal grandmother or
> great
> grandmother who's first name is Elizabeth and last name is Henry. Also
> look
> for aunt's, step & half-sister, cousin's, and close friends who are named
> Elizabeth Henry.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Lonny J. Watro
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "bugnut" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 10:03 AM
> Subject: the given name "Henry"
>
>
>> In the 1800s, was the name Henry commonly used for as a first name, or
>> middle name, for females?
>>
>> My g-g-g-grandmother's middle name was Henry.  This was not her maiden
>> name.
>> It appears that one of her grandaughters was also named Henry.  Was this
>> just quirky to my family, or was it a common name used for girls in the
>> 1800s?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Sandy
>>
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