There are a lot of Lancelots in our Smith family tree.  While this name has been useful in helping to identify the right family of Smiths to follow, it can get confusing when none of the early Lancelots was given a second forename to help distinguish one from the other.

The first mention I could find of the name Lancelot Smith in our family was in 1757 when the fifth and youngest son of John Smith Sr was baptized in Melmerby.  (John Smith Sr was my great-great-great- great-grandfather.)  The first Lancelot Smith was followed by:

• Lancelot Smith (my great-great-grandfather), born in December 1785 in Melmerby, fourth son of John Smith Jr of Melmerby
• Lancelot Smith (my great-grandfather), born in July 1824 in Gamblesby, second son of the above Lancelot Smith of Gamblesby;
• Lancelot Smith (my great-grandfather’s cousin), born in April 1833 in Melmerby, fifth son of William Smith of Melmerby;
• Lancelot Smith (my great-uncle), born in April 1863 in Cashel, eldest son of Lancelot Smith of Corballis.

In the next generation, parents added a second name which helped to distinguish between:

• Lancelot Westgarth Smith (my cousin once removed), born in 1897, eldest son of Lancelot Smith of Beaverstown
• Lancelot Upton Smith (my uncle), born in 1907, eldest son of William Smith of Blackhall; and
• Lancelot Henry Smith (my cousin once removed), born in 1910, elder son of John Smith of Corballis.

Lancelot continues to be used for the sons in more recent Smith generations, sometimes as a second name, and always with at least one other name.