ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1874 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1874 ************************************ From: "Sara" 1 Jan 2000 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You wanted to know if the name and the arms "Per pale sable and gules a stork statant to dexter argent beaked and membered Or" would have been used by an Englishman in the Elizabethan period. You also wanted to know if it would be appropriate to add an argent cloud with Or lightning bolts above the stork's head. Here is the information we have found. The only evidence that we've seen of as a given name is as a modern feminine name. [3] It is not a good choice for a medieval name. The most similar name that we found for your period is , also spelled . [2] If you are interested in chosing a different name, we suggest you read some of the articles on English names available in our library: http://www.s-gabriel.org/docs#england does not appear to be an authentic surname; we did not find it or anything of similar construction in our sources. However, the elements and both did give rise to surnames on their own. We find 1379, 1643, as well as 1437-8, 1535, and 1580-1. [1] Either of these alone is a fine surname. If you are interested in a different surname, there is an article in the SCA heraldry library that lists surnames appropriate to your period: http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/brasses/lastnameAB.html A more standard blazon for your arms would be "Per pale sable and gules, a stork argent beaked and membered Or." We found a number of English coats recorded before 1530 in which a stork is the primary charge, including one recorded as early as 1286. [4] However, if you wanted to register these arms in the SCA College of Arms, you should be aware that they conflict with Juliette Rossignol, "Per chevron azure and gules, a stork wings elevated and addorsed argent." [6] We have no evidence that square-delineated lightning bolts used in stylized thunderclouds were used in period. However, we found a number of examples of other stylized clouds used in Elizabethan armory. The most common form seems to be a "cloud irradiated to base"; in one case, we found it used as a chief. [5] A "cloud irradiated to base" is a stylized cloud with alternately straight and wavy rays issuing from it toward the bottom of the field. Because we did not find any examples of clouds combined with lightning bolts in period, we suggest you use the cloud irradiated instead. "Per pale sable and gules, a stork argent beaked and membered Or, in chief a cloud argent irradiated to base Or," would be plausible Elizabethan armory. 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 Margaret Makafee, Talan Gwynek, Alan Fairfax, Rouland Carre, Adelaide de Beaumont, Arval Benicoeur, and Amant le Marinier. For the Academy, ~Aryanhwy merch Catmael January 1, 2000 --------------------------------------- References: [1] Bardsley, Charles, _A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames_ (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980). s.nn. Stork, Storm [2] Talan Gwynek, "Late Sixteenth Century English Given Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997) [URL:http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/talan/eng16/]. [3] Dunkling, Leslie and William Gosling, _The New American Dictionary of First Names_ (New York: Signet Books, 1983). s.n. Lorraine [4] Woodcock, Thomas, Janet Grant, & Ian Graham, _Dictionary of British Arms_, vol II. (The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1996). II:151 [5] Parker, James, _A Glossary of Terms used in Heraldry_ (Charles E. Tuttle, 1982). s.v. Clouds [6] This was registered 7-95 via Atlantia.