ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1485 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1485 ************************************ 12 Jan 1999 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for help choosing an Elizabethan woman's name, with as your given name. This letter is a brief answer to your question. is a fine name for your period. We have found examples of just that name in England in 1568, 1583, 1586, and 1593 [1]. Other spellings were also used in the 16th century [1, 2, 3]: Dorythye 1546 Dorothy 1581-95 Dorothea 1505, 1581-95 Dorothie 1588, 1589, 1597 Dorathy 1540, 1545, 1546, 1556, 1559 Dorathye 1567, 1585 Dorathie 1591 Dorithe 1598 You can find several lists of 16th century surnames on the web in our Medieval Names archive. The best is the index of surnames at: Brass Enscription Index http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/ This database includes indications of where in England each name was recorded, so you should be able to find a name appropriate to northern England. A couple shorter lists are: Prizes of the London Masters of Defense http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/dylan/lmod_list.html The Olive Tree Genealogy Miscellaneous Ships' Passenger Lists http://www.rootsweb.com/~ote/neship.htm We hope this brief letter has been useful. Please write us again if you have any questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Aryanhwy merch Catmael and Talan Gwynek. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 12 Jan 1999 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Brooke, J.M.S., and A.W.C. Hallen, A. W. C., _The Transcript of the Registers of the United Parishes of S. Mary Woolnoth and S. Mary Woolchurch Haw, in the City of London, from their Commencement 1538 to 1760_ (London: Bowles & Sons, 1886). [2] 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/talan/reaney/ [3] Talan Gwynek, "Late Sixteenth Century English Given Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997). http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/talan/eng16/