ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1165 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1165 ************************************ 11 Aug 1998 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for information about the name . You didn't say what culture or period you want the name to fit; since is a modern surname of English origin, we're assuming that you want an English name. Here is what we have found. was a common English given name from the Conquest to the end of our period [1, 2, 3, 4]. The modern surname has an uncertain origin. It may derive from locative bynames (descriptive surnames based on the place where someone lives) like "at the fen", which themselves derive from a southwestern English variant of the Old English word "fen, marsh" [8]. But it might also derive from the Anglo-Norman family name or which is apparently recorded in 1467 as and in 1520 as [5, 6]. The transformation of the to an is a common error in reading period calligraphy, so it is not clear that it represents the way the name was actually used in period. As a result of this confusion, we cannot say for certain whether the surname existed in period or is a modern variant of a period surname. If you want to use a name etymologically related to , then our best suggestion is that you call yourself or , either of which would be a fine name for 13th to 15th century England. If you'd like to consider some other possible surnames, there is a long list of late-period English surnames available on the web at: http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/lastnameAB.html This list is part of the article English Names from Pre-1600 Brass Inscriptions http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/ The list includes a couple surnames that sound similar to : , recorded in 1530, and , recorded in 1540 [7]. I hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Talan Gwynek, Margaret Makafee, and Walraven van Nijmegen. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 11 Aug 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Nicolaa de Bracton, "A Statistical Survey of Given Names in Essex Co., England, 1182-1272", Known World Heraldic Symposium Proceedings 1995 (SCA Inc.). http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5145/names.html [2] Talan Gwynek, "Given Names from Early 13th Century England" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997). http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/talan/eng13/ [3] Talan Gwynek, "Yorkshire Given Names from 1379" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997). http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/talan/yorkshire/ [4] Talan Gwynek, "Late Sixteenth Century English Given Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997). http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/talan/eng16/ [5] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986), s.n. Vans. [6] Woodcock, Thomas, Janet Grant, & Ian Graham, _Dictionary of British Arms_, vol II. (The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1996). The arms 'Checky argent and gules, on a chevron azure three roses or' are assigned by various sources to Lord VAUZ, Sir Nicholas VAUX, VAUX, Sir Nicholas VAULX, and VANSE. [7] Julian Goodwyn, "English Names from pre-1600 Brass Inscriptions" (WWW: SCA, 1997). http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/ [8] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.n. Vance. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -