MADISON, GA'S HISTORIC CEMETERIES
What's in a name?
Materials - Marble to Field Stone
Grave markers and plot boundaries reflect culture, social status, and wealth. Some materials used here include cast iron, marble, bronze, granite, fieldstone, aluminum, cinder block, and brick. Note the many family plot boundaries of iron, especially the ornate gate by Wood & Perot Ornamental Iron Works of Philadelphia.​
The First Name
Given names or Christian names, are the personal name generally assigned at birth or during baptism. First names serve to identify individuals and often carry cultural, familial, or religious significance (e.g., Matthew or Mary, Sarah or Isaac, Aisha or Ibrahim). These names can also reflect virtues (e.g., Grace), saints (e.g. Michael), or important figures (e.g. Paul).
The First Name
Given names
The Family Name
Surnames, also known as family names, developed in Europe around the 11th century for identification. Here are the most common categories of surnames:
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Occupational Surnames: Derived from a person's job or trade, such as "Smith" (blacksmith) or "Baker" (baker).
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Patronymic Surnames: Based on the father's name, like "Johnson" (son of John) or "Anderson" (son of Andrew).
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Toponymic Surnames: Derived from the name of a place or geographical location, such as "Hill" or "Brook".
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Clan Names: Associated with a family clan, often seen in Scottish and Irish cultures (O'Neill as a descendant of Niall).
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Epithet/Byname: Nicknames given by the community, based on physical characteristics (Red) or personality traits (Strong).
Rare First Names
The number (1) behind the given name indicates number of known examples in Madison. If you have verification otherwise, please contact us. ​
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Electa A girl's name of Greek origin meaning "chosen" or "selected." In Greek mythology, Electra was the daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra.
The name was inspired by the spiritual word "elect" and a New Testament passage referring to the Christian Church as "The Elect Lady and Her Children." Popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it last appeared in statistics in 2016, given to 7 girls.