ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1010 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1010 ************************************ From: "S Friedemann" 11 Jun 1998 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You wanted to know if or would be an appropriate English masculine name between 1200 and 1300. You also wanted comments on your proposed arms of "Azure, a castle within a bordure embattled argent." Here is the information we have found. was a common name throughout your period. In one survey of names between 1182 and 1272, it was the 7th most common masculine name [1], in another, the 8th most common name in the 13th century [2], and in another, from 1296, the 6th most popular name [3]. In a list from 1379, it was the 3rd most common [4], and in a list of participants in the Battle of Agincourt, 1415, 116 out of the 842 people were named [5]. While we did not find in any of our sources, we found similar surnames that lead us to believe this would be a reasonable construction. In your period, we found one use of -- [6], but it was much more commonly found as or [8]. Variants on that we find are , , and . [7] For the beginning of your period, we suggest , while would more typical of the end of your period. Unfortunately, your choice of arms of "Azure, a castle within a bordure embattled argent" conflicts with the registered arms of Adrian Buchanon (SCA) "Azure, a tower within a bordure wavy argent." However, the arms "Azure, three castles within a bordure embattled argent" appear to be free of conflict, and are similar to your proposed idea. Other suggestions that we have are * Azure, a castle and a chief embattled argent A blue background with a white castle and a white, embattled stripe across the top of the shield * Argent, on a chief embattled azure two towers argent A field divided horizontally, with embattlements, the top blue and the bottom white, with two white towers on the blue These two designs appear to be free from conflict, and would be fine period style. We hope that this letter was useful to you, and that you will not hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval Benicoeur, Elsbeth Anne Roth, Talan Gwynek, and Zenobia Naphtali. For the Academy, --Arianui filia Catmaili de Cair Mirdin June 11, 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References: [1] Nicolaa de Bracton of Leicester, "A Statistical Survey of Given Names in Essex Co., England, 1182-1272," (WWW: J. Mittleman) URL:http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5145/names.html [2] Talan Gwynek, "Given Names from Early 13th Century England" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997) URL:http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/eng13/. [3] Beautrice Hammeltoune, "Names taken from the Rutland Lay Subsidy, 1296" (WWW; J. Mittleman) URL:http://www2.rpa.net/~julia/rutland.htm [4] Talan Gwynek, "Yorkshire Given Names from 1379" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997) URL:http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/yorkshire/. [5] The Agincourt Honor Roll http://www.familychronicle.com/agincort.htm [6] Bardsley, Charles, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980). [7] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995). [8] Unpublished research of Talan Gwynek