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ArchivesRe: Attn Cleveland Kent Evans re: Alifair/Alafair
in reply to a message by Pie
The Romany idea is certainly an amazing and interesting possibility. That might help explain why no one has been able to find any indication yet of who Alafair Wright's parents were.
I doubt, though, that the name has anything to do with the Native American tribe in Florida. I just can't see parents in Maryland giving the name of a Florida tribe to a girl born in 1768. Remember that Florida wasn't even purchased by the USA from Spain until 1819. In 1768 Florida would have seemed a world away to people in Maryland, and I think it's highly doubtful the average Maryland family would ever have even heard of the Florida tribe. Finally, using tribal names as given names would have been highly unusual back then. The use of names like Cheyenne and Cherokee for babies is really a modern innovation.
I doubt, though, that the name has anything to do with the Native American tribe in Florida. I just can't see parents in Maryland giving the name of a Florida tribe to a girl born in 1768. Remember that Florida wasn't even purchased by the USA from Spain until 1819. In 1768 Florida would have seemed a world away to people in Maryland, and I think it's highly doubtful the average Maryland family would ever have even heard of the Florida tribe. Finally, using tribal names as given names would have been highly unusual back then. The use of names like Cheyenne and Cherokee for babies is really a modern innovation.
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