President James Knox Polk

[Lucy Hamilton]

President James Knox Polk, would they have called him President Knox Polk or President Polk, does anyone know this?

 

[Pogo]

President James Knox Polk, would they have called him President Knox Polk or President Polk, does anyone know this?

Just "Polk". Occasionally you'll see "James K. Polk".
"Knox" would be a middle name.

It's common in the South to use the mother's family's name as a middle or even a first name. That was the case here; his mother was of the Knox family. But it's considered a separate name, not a combined-last name like "David Ogden-Stiers". The latter form has a hyphen.

"Lyndon Baines Johnson" would be another example. The middle name is Baines, for his mother's family.

(Fun fact: "Johnson City, Texas" was named after LBJ's cousin, whose name was James Polk Johnson -- though not related).

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

President James Knox Polk, would they have called him President Knox Polk or President Polk, does anyone know this?

Just "Polk". Occasionally you'll see "James K. Polk".
"Knox" would be a middle name.

It's common in the South to use the mother's family's name as a middle or even a first name. That was the case here; his mother was of the Knox family. But it's considered a separate name, not a combined-last name like "David Ogden-Stiers". The latter form has a hyphen.

"Lyndon Baines Johnson" would be another example. The middle name is Baines, for his mother's family.

(Fun fact: "Johnson City, Texas" was named after LBJ's cousin, whose name was James Polk Johnson -- though not related).

Yes I thought why no Knox-Polk, but thought in America they might not do the - I cannot think of many Americans who have the - between names but have seen many with two names so I thought it might be President Knox Polk, but thanks okay so President Polk.

I will Google and read about Johnson City, Texas thanks ogo.

 

[Pogo]

President James Knox Polk, would they have called him President Knox Polk or President Polk, does anyone know this?

Just "Polk". Occasionally you'll see "James K. Polk".
"Knox" would be a middle name.

It's common in the South to use the mother's family's name as a middle or even a first name. That was the case here; his mother was of the Knox family. But it's considered a separate name, not a combined-last name like "David Ogden-Stiers". The latter form has a hyphen.

"Lyndon Baines Johnson" would be another example. The middle name is Baines, for his mother's family.

(Fun fact: "Johnson City, Texas" was named after LBJ's cousin, whose name was James Polk Johnson -- though not related).

Yes I thought why no Knox-Polk, but thought in America they might not do the - I cannot think of many Americans who have the - between names but have seen many with two names so I thought it might be President Knox Polk, but thanks okay so President Polk.

I will Google and read about Johnson City, Texas thanks ogo.

I have a (female) cousin whose first name is one normally only used for a male. She's named for her mother's family (from South Carolina). I believe the hyphenated double name practice is much more recent.

There's something similar the Spanish culture does with the mother's name but I'm not qualified to explain it. Perhaps somebody else knows.