ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1314 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1314 ************************************ From: "S Friedemann" 17 Oct 1998 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for help documenting the French masculine name . Here is the information we have found. Before I start, I'd like to clarify the service that the Academy offers. We try to help Societyfolk in choosing and using names that fit the historical cultures they are trying to re-create. Our research can sometimes be used to support submissions to the College of Arms, but that it not our goal and our results are often incompatible with the College's needs. If your main goal is to register a particular name, then we may not be able to help you. We found in this spelling in the 13th century. [1,2] While was the more common spelling [1], there is no reason that would not be acceptable. was a common surname for someone who was a farrier. We believe this spelling was typical of northern France. [3] If you wanted a surname for an ironworker, both and , have this meaning, and were in use from the 13th to the 15th centuries. [1] (The slash represents an accent over the previous letter). We hope that this letter has been 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. For the Academy, --Arianuia poetissa October 17, 1998 --------------------------------------- References: [1] Morlet, Marie-Therese, _Etude d'anthroponymie picarde, les noms de personne en Haute Picardie aux XIIIe, XIVe, XVe siecles_ (Amiens, Musee de Picardie, 1967). [2] Colm Dubh, "An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris", Proceedings of the Known World Heraldic Symposium 1996 (SCA: Montgomery, Alabama; WWW: SCA, Inc., 1997) . [3] Dauzat, Albert, _Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Famille et Prenoms de France_ (Paris: Libraire Larousse, 1987), s.n. Ferrier.