Background
Typically, a Fijian has three names:
- Christian name
- Traditional name
- Surname (if it exists)
The Christian name is the first name. It is often a name that is known in Western culture that has been “Fijianized.” Here are some examples:
- Moses/Mosese
- David/Tevita
- Mary/Mere
- Milton/Militoni
A traditional name is usually commemorative. It is given to a child in memory of an important event that occurred in the village or country, or something that happened to a family member or ancestor.
The last name, or surname, is a modern phenomenon. Most Fijians do not use last names unless the context requires it.
Enter a Fijian name into Family Tree
- Enter the Christian into the First Names field.
- Enter the surname into the Last Names field.
- If the person has a traditional name, enter it into the First Names field, immediately after the Christian name.
- If the person does not have a last name, enter the traditional name as the last name. If you later discover the correct last name, you can edit the person’s name in Family Tree accordingly.
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How to enter Maori names into Family Tree
How to enter Samoan names into Family Tree