If Sr and Jr namesakes are deceased, does III and IV become new Sr and Jr?

Question

My brother and nephew were named after dad and grandfather, both are deceased now. (Both were alive when my nephew was born so he became IV) Are they still considered III and IV as far as name patterns? Or do they become Sr and Jr? If my nephew continues the tradition, is his son V?

Answer 1

If the III and IV are on their birth certificate, then they are III and IV forever.  

And if the suffixes were changed, think of all the grief future genealogist would have somewhere down the line.

Answer 2

No, it keeps going on.

Bill Sr. is the father of Bill Jr. (grandfather and father). Bill Jr. fathers Bill the 3rd (your brother, in this example). Bill the 3rd has a son, Bill the 4th (your nephew).

If your nephew has a son and names him Bill, he'll be Bill the 5th.

Answer 3

The names stand as they always were and yes the nubers add up thats why we got a King Henry the 8th in England

Answer 4

Today, they would remain as III and IV because being able to  consistently prove your identity is more important with taxes, Social Security, etc.  The fifth in line would be V if they named him that way.

In the New England states it does appear that Sr, Jr, III, etc. were used in the 1700s and 1800s as local identifiers when several people had the same exact name. Sr was not necessarily the father of Jr. He was just the oldest person in the community with that exact name. When the eldest died, the suffixes were shifted accordingly within the remaining men, regardless of their blood connection.

This pattern could have continued in some areas into the early 1900s.

However, I would think that was the exception and not the rule for the rest of the USA, when Sr was the father of Jr who was the father of III.

Answer 5

dlpm, you are exactly right.  I have noticed that in genealogy quite frequently, whether they were totally unrelated, uncle/nephew, grandfather/grandson, etc.

Donna, you are right too.  I'm not sure why anyone would give you grief, that is exactly correct!

I have noticed what the question mentioned with some of my relatives.  Ernst Sr. had a son Ernst Jr.  Ernst Jr. in turn had a son Ernst III, but when Ernst Sr. died, Ernst Jr. became Ernst Sr. and Ernst III became Ernst Jr.  That probably makes no sense, so nevermind!

While the previous was the case in the 1800's and 1900's, today better records are kept and the III and IV should not be changed to Sr. and Jr.

Answer 6

They still continue the way they were born and named. John Sr. John Jr. John 1st John 2nd John 3rd John 4th and John 5th. You don't bump up when someone dies.

Answer 7

They remain III and IV.

Just for the record:  If Bob has a son, the son becomes Bob, Jr.  He is NOT Bob II.  If Bob's sister has a son and names him for Bob, her son is Bob II.  Or Bob's grandson, named for Bob, can be Bob II.

I'll probably get argument over this...  :)