A study of 1,337 Amish males revealed only 72 different given names, and 80 per cent of the males had one of 20 Biblical names, the most common being John, Amos, Jacob, David, Samuel, Christian, Daniel, Benjamin, Levi, Aaron, Jonas, Elam, Stephen, Isaac, Henry, Jonathan, Eli, Gideon, Mosesand Joseph.
Fisher, King, Lapp, Miller, Stoltzfus, and Yoder are very common Amish surnames. There are sometimes spelling variations, but they are found in several Amish communities. Some Amish surnames are also common in Mennonite communities, as they have a common ancestral heritage. Yoder and Miller are prime examples of this.
In addition to Amos, other Amish boy names include Jacob, Eli, Willis, and Abram. Unique Amish names that are used almost exclusively by Amish and Mennonite families include Aganetha, Saloma, and Lavina for girls, Atlee, Benuel, and Menno for boys.
Names like Benjamin and Caleb or Amity and Ivy feel more modern and are actually fairly common outside of the Amish community, too. Then there's Amos, Collin, Eleanor, Leah, Noah, Penelope, and Seth — all names that are fairly common across the country.
A study of 1,337 Amish males revealed only 72 different given names, and 80 per cent of the males had one of 20 Biblical names, the most common being John, Amos, Jacob, David, Samuel, Christian, Daniel, Benjamin, Levi, Aaron, Jonas, Elam, Stephen, Isaac, Henry, Jonathan, Eli, Gideon, Mosesand Joseph.
Some other common Amish boy names are Aaron, Mark, Steven or Stephen, Samuel, Abner, Eli, Vernon, Elmer, Amos, Leroy, John, Paul, Jacob, David, Daniel, Omar, Abram, Isaac, Jonas, Henry, Mervin, Emmanuel, Moses, Lloyd, Christian or Christ, and Melvin.
The languages most commonly spoken by the Amish are Pennsylvania Dutch and English. Amish community members use Pennsylvania Dutch when conversing with each other in their community. English is only really used for communicating with outsiders.
Often the first six or eight baby names are the easiest to come up with since many start out naming their babies after the child's grandparents on both sides of the family. Next, come the aunts and uncles, with a few favorites scattered in as well. Most amish children are only given a first name and a middle initial.
Non-Amish people are generally referred to as "English" by the Amish, and outside influences are often described as "worldly". Amish church membership begins with adult baptism, usually between the ages of 16 and 23.
Not only do the Amish not actively practice polygamy, they certainly don't believe in it. They view polygamy as adultery. Although the various Amish settlements may interpret certain rules slightly differently, there is no deviation from this law. The Amish believe in traditional marriage between one man and one woman.
The Swartzentruber Amish are the best-known and one of the largest and most conservative subgroups of Old Order Amish. Swartzentruber Amish are considered a subgroup of the Old Order Amish, although they do not fellowship or intermarry with more liberal Old Order Amish.
For example, considering the three states with the largest Amish populations, in Pennsylvania, the most common Amish surnames are Stoltzfus, King, Fisher, Beiler, and Lapp; in Ohio, they are Miller, Yoder, Troyer, Raber, and Hershberger; and in Indiana, the names are Miller, Yoder, Bontrager, Hochstetler, and Mast ( ...
Amish men use their beards as a symbol of marriage. If a man has a clean-shaven face, it means he is single and ready to mingle, which is important for the ladies to know. However, if he's got a beard, he's taken.
Amish ministers and deacons are selected by lot out of a group of men nominated by the congregation. They serve for life and have no formal training. Amish bishops are similarly chosen by lot from those selected as preachers.
There are certain last names which are very common among the Swiss Amish and which are not found often elsewhere. These names include: Schwartz, Hilty, Lengacher, Graber, Wittmer, Shetler, Christner, Eicher, Girod, Wengerd and Wickey.
So dad (Daed) and mom (Mamm) are capitalized in all usages. Words like horse, house, and baby are also capitalized. Sometimes authors lowercase these words—again, to avoid taking readers out of the story when they see a capitalized word in the middle of a sentence that is not a proper noun.
Amish parents consider their children their greatest earthly treasure. Children are welcomed as a blessing from God and large families are the norm.
Shunning is the most well-known form of Amish punishment. It's a way to separate the offender from the community and make them realize the error of their ways. When someone is shunned, they're cut off from all social interaction. This includes family, friends, and even business associates.
Most Amish people enjoy talking with outsiders, if they don't feel like they are regarded as animals in the zoo.
Conclusion. The Amish, or Pennsylvania Dutch as many outsiders know them, are Germanic people. Most of the earliest Amish arrivals came from the Swiss/Alsace region and brought their traditions and mother tongue with them. Generations of living apart from other communities have kept their heritage intact.
Q: May outsiders join the Amish? A: Yes. Although the Amish do not actively evangelize, several dozen outside people have joined the Amish. Potential members must be willing to learn the dialect and accept the rules of the church in order to be baptized and become members of the church.
Fannie:
Fannie is another common Amish name that stands for being 'free'.