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ArchivesRe: Samantha
in reply to a message by Anneza
Samantha was created in colonial North America back in the late 1700s. You can find examples of women named Samantha in genealogies of New England and New York families from the early 1800s and late 1700s:
Samantha Hawley, born 1814:
http://webpages.marshall.edu/~smith82/monet.html
Samantha McWhorter, born 1809 in upstate New York:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mcwgen/mathewny.htm
and the oldest I've found so far, Samantha Bibbins, born 1788 in Stillwater, New York:
http://www.renderplus.com/hartgen/htm/bibbins.htm
Samantha Hawley, born 1814:
http://webpages.marshall.edu/~smith82/monet.html
Samantha McWhorter, born 1809 in upstate New York:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mcwgen/mathewny.htm
and the oldest I've found so far, Samantha Bibbins, born 1788 in Stillwater, New York:
http://www.renderplus.com/hartgen/htm/bibbins.htm
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Replies
It's rather funny because, if I recall my facts correctly, everyone here is helping divine the source quite a good deal.
I distinctly remember reading that Samantha is an American creation, as Cleveland states. Formed to create a pleasing sounding name, it sources both Samuel and the -anthe names Pavlos mentioned. Further, I remember it was most common among African-American slaves and grew in popularity whence. (I had always thought it an American slave invention, but Cleveland's research clearly disputes that.)
I distinctly remember reading that Samantha is an American creation, as Cleveland states. Formed to create a pleasing sounding name, it sources both Samuel and the -anthe names Pavlos mentioned. Further, I remember it was most common among African-American slaves and grew in popularity whence. (I had always thought it an American slave invention, but Cleveland's research clearly disputes that.)
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That is most interesting - thank you! So the name has been bubbling gently for centuries and then suddenly became super-popular quite recently ... I wonder how many others might do the same, and what they are.
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