ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1538 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1538 ************************************ From: "Brian M. Scott" 14 Mar 1999 Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You asked how to construct a Welsh name suitable for the period 1150-1200 using the feminine name as a given (first) name and the place-name as a byname. You also asked whether this type of byname was acceptable for a women. Finally, you asked what information would be needed to register the name. To answer the last question first, the Laurel Queen of Arms has ruled that our letters are acceptable documentation for submissions (although she cannot guarantee, of course, that the College will always agree with our interpretations of the data). Simply print out this letter in its entirety, including all headers and footers, and include it with your submission. Your period is something of a blank spot in the Welsh documentary record: the first extensive collections of Welsh names are various tax records of the late 13th century. It's generally pretty safe to extrapolate back a century or so from these records, but unfortunately we haven't found an instance of (to use the standard modern spelling) from that period. Thus, we're forced to consider more indirect evidence. First, we know that the name figures in early Welsh poetry, so it must be quite old. We also know that it became quite common in the 16th century, and we have a clear instance (in the form ) as early as 1352. There is also a possible example of the pet form from 1293. [1] On balance, therefore, it seems likely that the name was used occasionally in your period, but it seems not to have been at all common. From literary evidence we know that is an appropriate spelling for your period. [2] By far the most common kind of byname (i.e., identifying nickname) in medieval Wales was the patronymic, a nickname that identified its bearer as the daughter (son) of her (his) father. In one late-13th century document containing about 2300 names, some 57% consist of a given name and patronymic. Between 1% and 2%, however, consist of a given name and a locative byname. The latter generally involve specific rather than regional place-names, as in many cases they must have served to identify the bearer's location relative to the neighbors who would actually have been using the name. Thus, is not a typical locative byname. [3] The best known examples of such regional bynames are found in the names of ruling nobles, like Owein Gwynedd and Owein Cyfeiliog, whose bynames referred to their principal holdings. [4] They are not restricted to this context, however; indeed, the byname also appears (as ) c.1300 in a less exalted setting. [3] It seems entirely possible that in your period someone from Gwynedd who had moved to the south might have been known by her kingdom of origin. It's name appears c.1200 as , so in spellings appropriate for your period the entire name would be . [5] To sum up, appears to be an unusual but entirely possible name for a Welsh woman living in the second half of the 12th century. However, she would also have been known by a patronymic, so for an authentic re-creation we recommend that you choose one. You can find more information on Welsh naming practices of the century or so after your period in the article 'A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names', which is available on the Web at http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/welsh13.html Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn provided most of the research for this letter, and Arval Benicoeur and Walraven van Nijmegen also contributed to it. We hope that it has been useful and that you'll not hesitate to write again if you've any further questions. For the Academy, Talan Gwynek 13 March 1999 ===== References: [1] Morgan, T.J. and Prys Morgan. Welsh Surnames (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1985); s.n. Gwenhwyfar. [2] Bromwich, Rachel. The Welsh Triads (University of Wales Press, 1978); p.380ff. [3] Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasfryn. 'Names and Naming Practices in the Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll 1292-3', in Known World Heraldic Symposium Proceedings, 1991 (SCA: Laurel, Maryland, 1991). [4] Jones, Thomas. 'Brut y Tywysogyon -- Peniarth Ms. 20' (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1941). [The title translates as 'Chronicle of the Princes'; the men's names appear as and .] [5] Lewis, Timothy. 1913. "A Glossary of Mediaeval Welsh Law -- based upon the Black Book of Chirk." Manchester University Press.