This business of having a second name has really caused me a lot of confusion.
If you go to the top of the 'New additions January' photo gallery you will see my entry on my materal grandfather George Barnfield-Hale, after a lot of searching I discovered that his great grandmother was Ruth Barnfield and he adopted this as part of his surname. However, he didn't seem to use if when registering the birth of his many children or on any official documentation.
As Hale is a common Forest name, I'm sure one of the contributors to this particular thread is right - it has a certain 'snob' value.

I spent an enjoyable day last weekend driving around the forest meeting up with long lost cousins and old friends of my aunts and uncles.

Facinating stuff this - I'm relly hooked!

Best wishes,

Robert

I have my mother's maiden name, Foulkes, as a middle name, and becuase there are no sons I was asked to give that name to my eldest as a middle name (I gave it to both of them actually). However, since starting to trace my family tree I believe that the name does live on in North Wales through a direct line - I just can't get anyone to admit they are related to me - wonder why???

There is also another idea I have regarding those children born out of wedlock to "single women". it is that the middle name they were given was the surname of the father but was not admitted to on baptism records or birth certificates.

One example in my wifes family is Mary Meredith Edwards b1838 - mother Mary Edwards b abt 1820. There were plenty of Merediths around then who might be the father!

There are several non-FOD instances of this in my family. I have a George Edward Pewtner who married an Esther Stone in Bristol and all but one of their half a dozen children, girls and boys, had Stone as the middle name. These children born 1819 to 1829.
Then I have a Susannah Barns Lovering born 1792 who married Thomas Tucker in Berrynarbor, Devon. Her mother was Catherine Barns. Susannah and Thomas's children didn't have the middle name thing, but the eldest of them, Thomas Tucker b Berrynarbor 1820, called two of his children, who were born in Newport, Thomas Barns Tucker (1854) and Edward Lovering Tucker (1856).
Have other examples too but these notable for overkill in one family and skipping a generation. So it was definitely a West Country custom as well. And it certainly makes tracing them easier!

Joss

I have a modern day cousin (male) called Vaughan in recognition of his Grandfather's family name (William Henry Vaughan). This is not a middle name and doesn't help your theory. Also I am afraid he does not use it, every one calls him Vic.

Barbara.

Nothing scientific, but I have noticed this whilst researching over the years. I think it started in the 19th Century. Initially by upper middle class people where both families had gained recognized status. It was a snob thing. Some ordinary people took up the fashion a bit later.

Roger

As an example Sarah Ann Vaughan married John Graham Gagg, one of their children was William Vaughan Gagg.