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Help[Facts] Re: Wm
in reply to a message by Rachel Shaina
That's interesting, thank you for that
Do you know why names were often abbreviated like that? I've never seen that before. Was it a common normal practice in America pre-1935?
Do you know why names were often abbreviated like that? I've never seen that before. Was it a common normal practice in America pre-1935?
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It was indeed very common. If you look at the signatures on the Declaration of Independence, a large number of them were written as abbreviations: Wm, Robt, Geo, Thos, Step, Jam, Benj, Abra, Jn or Jno. Thomas Jefferson signed as "Th Jefferson."
As for why, I speculate that since everything was written by hand in those days, people just got tired of writing out whole names when it wasn't necessary. Many names were so common, everyone understood what the abbreviations stood for.
As for why, I speculate that since everything was written by hand in those days, people just got tired of writing out whole names when it wasn't necessary. Many names were so common, everyone understood what the abbreviations stood for.
This message was edited 12/7/2019, 11:39 AM
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This is reminiscent of the classical Romans, who had only a handful of given names and very commonly abbreviated them.
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