The name Septimus

I have encountered the unusual name Septimus (b1856) in a family. The
child was the fifth son and I wonder if I can assume that there were 2
other children/sons that I don't know about to make his the seventh?

John Townsend...

Nothing is certain, but it is a reasonable assumption. I have made a
similar assumption that Vicesimus Townsend was the twentieth child of
Erasmus Townsend, even though I can't account fully for twenty!

John Townsend

Phil C....

The first Septimus that I know of in my family (b ca1829) was almost
certainly the illegitimate child of young parents. He wouldn't have
been the seventh. Then his only son (1857) was also named Septimus. So
I think some names just became traditional in families and can't be
taken literally. I'd never heard the name mentioned in any family
context so I suspect it was kept for official purposes. I've only
heard the second Septimus referred to as "Bill" - perhaps Septimus was
a bit of a mouthful for a road sweeper.

Eve McLaughlin...

Any link to the Darwins or Galtons? Erasmus, yes, Tertius, yes. If so, a
finely worked out tree (by Francis Galton)

John Townsend...

Eve, thank you for this. I don't know the parents or origin of my Erasmus
Townsend. He married a local girl at Lenton (Notts.) in 1638, when he was
described as a basket maker. I'm not aware of any link to the Darwin
family.

One clue I have is this. In 1640 was buried at Buckminster (Leics.) a
different Erasmus Townsend, who may be closely related. The local gentry at
Buckminster were the Hartopp family. One of their girls married Erasmus
Dryden, of Canons Ashby (Northants.). Therefore, I have wondered whether
the Buckminster Erasmus Townsend, a labourer, could have been an estate
worker with the Hartopps, having previously served the Dryden family, which
could explain how he came to be christened Erasmus. Having been stuck for
36 years on a problem, one tends to think of obscure solutions!

Charani...

Sometimes thinking "outside the box" does produce the right answer; as
I discovered when a friend did just that and solved a 20 year puzzle.

Best wishes,

John Townsend

Joe Makowiec...

Infant mortality would have been not uncommon at that point in time; are
there longer-than-normal gaps between the older (known) children?

Simon Pugh...

Paul...

Applying a Religious Logic to this if Septimus was born in February / March
1856 is thre a chance that he was named after the name given in the book of
Common prayer for the 3rd Sunday before Lent, also the 7th Sunday after
Epiphany? The old name for which is Septuagesima.

It could be a long shot I know but if the family where highly religious
it might not be outside the realms of possibility.

Down a similar line July, being the 7th month, or a SEPTember birthday might
also give a clue. This might be logical but I find logic is sometimes the
last thing to be considered.

The other children had common names and Septimus doesn't appear anywhere
else in the extensive family group. There are some gaps but nothing out
of the ordinary, the other thing is that I don't have the marriage date
yet as it is not in FreeBMD, I will try 1837 when I next visit the SOG.

Phil C....

Talking of uncommon Latin names, I've mentioned before a Junius on the
American side of my family. He was very likely to have been named in
honour of a Shakespearian actor. I had some clues to an incidental
link but otherwise I'd never have guessed. I've also got an Aquila
(male b. ca1892) in a large conventionally-named working class Lincs
family. I've no idea why that rare Latin name was chosen after Percy,
Herbert, Harry and Frances for the first four.

Lesley Robertson...

You might want to check on the name of the local landowner/landlord, the
Minister, the Doctor or the owner of wherever the father worked....
Lesley Robertson

Ann Watson...

Do you know what month the child was born in? Some boys with the name
Septimus owe it to being born in September (the seventh month of the Old
Roman calendar).

Ann W.

Eve McLaughlin...

It depends on the state of Latin knowledge the parents possessed. If aed
local parents or member of the family had called his seventh son
Septimus, this father might think 'Oh, we've used Tom, Dick, Harry and
William, what on earth can we name this one. Ah, cousin Henry called his
Septimus - there's a classy name......'
I have come across a lot of misapplied names like this - for some
reason, Octavius for any number of son was a must in some areas, and it
does complicate searching. If there were two girls, then Septimus could
be used for seventh CHILD rather than 7th son.

Simon Pugh...

I wonder, He rejoiced in the full name of Septimus Jones Newsom and

Lesley Robertson...

Sounds like he's maybe named for a benefactor of some sort. It's did
happen - I know of 3 from different families named for the same midwife, and
the youngest of my great uncles was named for his father's long-term
employer.

Graeme Wall...

I'm named after my father's pilot in WW2.

Ye Old One...

I thought pilots flew aircraft not fathers.

Lesley Robertson

neither Septimus nor Jones have any connection I know of with the
family.

Eve McLaughlin...

What was the doctor called? If it was a difficult birth, gratitude might
kick in.

Jeff...

Similar situation in my family.

Sadly our first son died of Leukaemia. Our daughter was
named Susan after the Sister of the Ward where our son was
treated at Great Ormond Street.

Geoff...

Born in the seventh month more likely. In the 1841 census of
somewhere in GLS I came across a Septimus and Octavia in one family
and there weren't many more children.