Knowing the origins of surnames is a most interesting study. I submit to you today that knowing the origin of YOUR first name is way-cool too. I often ask folks, “Do you know why your parents chose (    ) for your name?” Sometimes they know but often they do not. Transfer that thought to your ancestor’s first names.  I have, back in the late 1700s in Connecticut, a John and Sarah Gurney family. They had children Sarah (after mother), Elizabeth (after grandmother) and John (after father) and then Bezaleel. After nobody! Where on earth?

Well, knowing that the only “baby names book” those good Christian folks had was the Bible, I went looking. Sure enough, There are plenty of references to a Bezaleel…”the Lord called Bezaleel and filled him with knowledge of how to do the job of making the Ark of the Covenant.” (Exodus 35:30).  Exodus 37 and 38 describe how he did the job.

P.S. He did not pass down that name!