ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1096
http://www.s-gabriel.org/1096
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From: 
25 Jul 1998


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You inquired about the English feminine names <Tayra Malei> and <Theda
Malei>.  You found <Theda> on our website, and wanted assistance choosing
a surname.

There is a record of <Theda mater Herluini>, i.e. "Theda mother of
Herluin", dated to 1207 [1,2].  This name is a shortened form of an
earlier Old English name, so it would be more appropriate for an early
period name.  We could not find <Tayra>, but can offer <Taya> dated
1242/43 [3].

Since both <Theda> and <Taya> are dated to about 1200, we would recommend
using that time to set your persona and name.  You could use <Theda> or
<Taya> with any of several byname forms.  A byname is like a surname; it
is a second name used to identify you further, but unlike a surname, it
was generally not inherited.  Inherited family surnames didn't become
common in England until the 14th century. 

The simplest and most common type of byname was one that identified you as
your father's daughter, e.g. <Theda Martin> or <Theda filia Martini>.  The
first example is English; the second is Latin and would only have been
used in writing.  Both mean "Theda, daughter of Martin".  If you need help
with the grammar or the proper spelling of a particular name in your
period, write us again and we'll be happy to help. 

Another common style of byname named the place where you live, where
you were born, or where your family originated; for example, <Taya de
Malley> or <Theda de Maaltun> [4].

We could not find the surname <Malei>, but we did find some names that
sound much like it [2]:

  <Thomas Mayle>      1296
  <Peter de Malley>   1210
  <Peter de Mallay>   1218
  <Irveyus Maleit>    1230

Our members noted that both <de Malley> and <Maleit> come from Old French,
and it's hard to imagine an early 13th century Anglo-French family giving
their child an obscure Old English given name like <Theda>.  However,
women were sometimes recorded with their husbands' bynames, and there are
certainly examples of Anglo-Norman marriages, so <Theda de Malley> and
<Theda Maleit> are justifiable, and you could use any of the bynames
listed above.

We hope this has been helpful, and that we can continue to assist you.
Talan Gwynek, Arval Benicouer, and Barak Raz contributed to this letter.

In service,
--Walraven van Nijmegen
Academy of S. Gabriel

[1] Talan Gwynek, _Feminine Given Names in "A Dictionary of English
    Surnames" (SCA: KWHS Proceedings 1994; WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997)
    http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/reaney/

[2] P.H. Reaney & R.M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_
    (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995)
    s.n. Thede, Mail, Malley, Mallet

[3] Assize Roll 223, 27 Henry III (1242-43)  [personal communication
    from Talan Gwynek]

[4] Eilert Ekwall, _The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names_
    4th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991)  s.n. Malton, dated
    c.1150