Gettysburg Daily

What’s in an 1860’s Gettysburg Name?

February 25, 2008

The east side of the George George House at 237 Steinwehr Avenue. View is from the southeast facing northwest. Approximately 4:30 PM Monday, February 25, 2008.

At 237 Steinwehr Avenue is a small stone building occupied in the 1860s by Gettysburg Day Laborer George George (1800-). This house is most famous for hosting the body of United States Major-General John F. Reynolds on July 1, 1863. It was a convenient location at the intersection of the Emmitsburg Road (Steinwehr Avenue) and the Taneytown Road. Reynolds’ body would travel south along the Taneytown Road and eventually he would be buried in his hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

But have you wondered about who would name their child with the same first name as their last name? Here are some Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Area residents whose parents had an interesting sense of humor and gave them the same first name as their last name in the 1860s:

Fuchis, Fuchis (circa 1843-) (White) Straban Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania resident in 1860
George, George (circa 1800-) (White) Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania resident in 1860
Thomas, Thomas (circa 1848-) (White) Straban Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania resident in 1860.

By the way, Fuchis Fuchis was a female.

Speaking of names, The Top 10 Surnames (Last Names) of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania residents represented 384 or 16% of Gettysburg residents according to the 1860 Federal Census:

1. Culp 73 or 3% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
2. Little 63 or 3% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
3. Ziegler/Zeigler 61 or 3% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
4. Sheads 32 or 1% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
5. Tate 29 or 1% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
6. Myers 27 or 1% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
7. Gilbert 26 or 1% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
8. Buehler 25 or 1% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
9. Warren 25 or 1% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census
10. McCreary 23 or 1% of the 2390 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania residents listed on 1860 Federal Census

The top ten first names of male Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania residents represented 686 or 58% of the 1182 male Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania residents according to the 1860 federal population census:

1. John: 153 or 13% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
2. William: 117 or 10% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
3. George: 82 or 7% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
4. Henry: 69 or 6% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
5. Charles: 61 or 5% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
6. James: 55 or 5% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
7. David: 43 or 4% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
7. Samuel: 43 or 4% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
9. Jacob: 37 or 3% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)
10. Robert: 26 or 2% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania male residents (1182)

The top ten first names of female Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania residents represented 658, or 54% of the 1208 female Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania residents according to the 1860 federal population census:

1.Mary: 183, or 15% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
2. Sarah: 80, or 7% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
3. Elizabeth: 75, or 6% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
4. Catharine: 71, or 6% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
5. Anna: 57, or 5% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
6. Margaret: 50, or 4% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
7. Ann/Anne: 44, or 4% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
8. Marie: 39, or 3% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
9. Martha: 31, or 3% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)
10. Louisa: 28, or 2% of Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania female residents (1208)

If you were walking down the street in the 1860s and didn’t remember someone’s name, over half the people you met had one of these twenty first names. One out of every six individuals had one of the ten last names shown.
So the next time you walk or drive by this Steinwehr Avenue landmark, think about General Reynolds, and think about some 1860s Gettysburg names.

The north and west sides of the George George House at 237 Steinwehr Avenue. View is from the northeast facing southwest. Approximately 4:30 PM Monday, February 25, 2008.

The south entrance the George George House at 237 Steinwehr Avenue. View is from the northeast facing southwest. Approximately 4:30 PM Monday, February 25, 2008.

The rear of the George George House at 237 Steinwehr Avenue. View is from the northwest facing southeast. Approximately 4:30 PM Monday, February 25, 2008.

The south side of the George George House at 237 Steinwehr Avenue. View is from the southeast facing northwest. Approximately 4:30 PM Monday, February 25, 2008.

The George George House is located northeast of Patriot’s Point on Steinwehr Avenue. Approximately 4:30 PM Monday, February 25, 2008.