Vicki Betts, a librarian at the University of Texas, put together an interesting list of female names using the 1860 census records for Smith County in East Texas.
Here’s some background information, per Vicki:
Ninety per cent of the people had emigrated to the county within the preceding ten years, 95.8% born in the states of the future Confederacy, 1.8% in the border states, 1.6% in northern states, and 0.8% in foreign countries. Therefore, these name should be fairly representative of Southern female names in general, with the exception of Alamo, Texas, Texana, etc.
And now the names! Here are the names that appeared most frequently on the 1860 Smith County census:
| Mary, 501 Sarah, 271 Martha, 247 Elizabeth, 218 Jane, 199 Ann, 198 Nancy, 176 Margaret, 98 Susan, 95 Frances, 94 Eliza, 74 Amanda, 65 Louisa, 61 Laura, 52 Lucinda, 50 Rebecca, 50 | Emily, 49 Catherine, 48 Caroline, 41 Julia, 39 Anna, 31 Isabella, 28 Ellen, 26 Josephine, 25 Harriet, 24 Emmer, 22 Lucy, 22 Rachel, 22 Melissa, 18 Adeline, 17 Malinda, 17 Matilda, 16 | Allice, 15 Mariah, 15 Virginia, 15 Minerva, 14 Ella, 13 Eveline, 13 Charlotte, 12 Cynthia, 10 Evaline, 10 Victoria, 10 Emeline, 9 Hannah, 9 Hellen, 9 Theodosia, 9 Angeline, 8 Eudora, 8 | Eugenia, 8 Mahala, 8 Ophelia, 8 Permelia, 8 Dorotha, 7 Fannie, 7 Missouri, 7 Olive, 7 Samantha, 7 Tabitha, 7 Ada, 6 Charity, 6 Delilah, 6 Flora, 6 Georgia, 6 Tennessee, 6 |
Names in the 2-to-5 range:
- 5: Clementine, Cyntha, Florence, Ida, Joannah, Narcissa, Priscilla, Serena, Texana, Texas
- 4: Almeda, Amelia, Augusta, Celia, Clara, Cornelia, Dicy, Dora, Henrietta, Janetta, Louisiana, Louvenia, Lulah, Mollie, Parmelia, Penelope, Ruth, Susannah
- 3: Alma, Amarillo, Angelina, Antonette, Carrie, Casandra, Christiana, Clarissa, Cora, Cordelia, Edna, Emma, Ester, Fanny, Irena, Jemima, Kesiah, Leona, Leonora, Lucretia, Lyddia, Manerva, Maranda, Morando, Mildred, Milly, Narcissus, Olevia, Piety, Rhoda, Sallie, Sefrona, Sophrona, Telulah, Zelida
- 2: Abigal, Adaline, Adelia, Agnes, Alabama, Alcasarah, America, Amy, Annetta, Araminta, Armelia, Arrenia, Candis, Caledonia, Celina, Easter, Eller, Elvira, Epsey, Exer, Henryetta, Jaly, Judy, Leah, Luella, Madora, Malissa, Marsileet, Medorah, Melinda, Mattie, Minnie, Moranda, Nelly, Olivia, Priscella, Rhody, Roxana, Salena, Sirena, Sophia, Temperance, Viola, Willie
Finally, names that appeared only once:
| Abbigal Abi Absaly Adah Adalade Adaline Addia Adelade Adella Ader Aimenetta Alamanzer Alamo Alcisty Alis Allethia Almanda Alphine Alsey Althie Alvarado Alvira Amarantha Amarylles Amazor Ameda Americus Amira Ansebell Appy Arabella Arainetta Aramintha Aranda Arcadia Ardalla Armedilla Armel Armelda Arminda Artele Arvezene Arvilla Atha Audella Aurire Azeline Barbary Belzora Bendett Bernessa Bethania Bethany California Callie Camella Camilla Candas Candice Cansandra Carrentha Casandre Castero | Cecily Celistia CerroGordo Christana Cicily Claranda Claricinda Conzada Darcus Deannah Debra Delila Delitha Della Delmar Derinda Deziah Dicey Dilla Dilly Disha Dlia Dola Domaris Dorothea Dovy Drucilla Dulcena Dyca Eddie Edith Editha Elander Eleanor Elisa Ellenor Elmina Elsy Elvy Elwina Elzina Elzona Emaline English Eunis Euphema Euphemia Euratasa Evy Falby Fenette Fillmore Flore Florida Fransina Georgana George Eller Georgiana Harmoner Hazeltine Heepsebeth Heland Hester | Hetty Hilery Hutoka Idella Imogenia Indiana Inez Irine Isabelle Isadora Jeannah Jerusha Jessie Joana Joicy Joly Judah Judith Juliett June Kasandre Kasana Keburah Keturah Lailah Larresa Larrissa Laurena Lavacca Lela Leora Leuella Levega Levina Lewella Lilla Lillian Lilly Lina Livana Livona Lizza Loreey Loreta Lourana Lourena Lourenia Louretta Louvena Louvina Lova Lovena Lucretice Lurana Lurena Lutitia Luvena Lydda Madella Madosa Malabry Mariella Marietta | Marinda Marion Marbre Marcella Marcena Marg Matta McReudry Medarah Melbry Melvina Mercena Milley Millison Minor Missoura Mitty Molly Morinua Mouring Mourmen Mourning Nannett Narcisa Nebraska Neome Neomia Nicy Nina Nisse Occo Octavia Oja Oliva Omino Orpha Oudelia Paralee Paralie Parilee Parolee Parthena Pauline Pemelia Pernetta Pernisia Petrona Phebe Pheby Phereby Philliss Pleasant Pope Prascovia Pricilla Prudence Recella Resalla Reozia Resiah Rhina Rosana Rosanna | Rosena Sabra Sabrina Salina Samaria Saphona Saphrona Sareta Sebrina Sefrone Seleta Selethia Selina Shaby Sharlotti Silena Sina Sirena Sobrina Sofrona Solona Sonora Sophier Stacy Surana Tabetha Taletha Talitha Telpha Teressa Texanah Texanna Theodora Theressa Tranquilla Trephemia Ululie Vanburena Vandalia Varlinda Vashti Vasti Verlinda Vertula Victora Victorier Vina Vinolia Violet Vunavista Wennyford Wilford Wilmouth Wineford Winerfred Winnaford Winnfred Zarilla Zeban Zeleame Zira Zouley |
See any names you like? Any that make you curious?
Here are some thoughts I had:
- Location names were more common than I thought they’d be. Seven females named Missouri? Six named Tennessee? Huh.
- I love that Emmer appeared 22 times, while Emma appeared a mere 3 times.
- The Battle of Cerro Gordo (1847) inspired a handful of namesakes. Cerro gordo is Spanish for “fat hill.”
- Hutoka: Or, The Maid of the Forest: a Tale of the Indian Wars (1846) by Osgood Bradbury inspired several hundred namesakes nationwide. The book claimed that the fictitious Native American name Hutoka meant “springing fawn.”
- Martin Van Buren — no doubt the inspiration behind Vanburena — was president of the U.S. from 1837 to 1841.
- I’m thinking Vunavista was based on buena vista, Spanish for “good view.”
Source: Female First Names in the 1860 Smith County, Texas, Census (article by Vicki Betts)
Image: Three young women, Galveston, Texas (via DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University)
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