|
Greetings,
Here's the information we have on the name "Jayme Lancereaux" for 15thcentury France.
"Jayme" is a form of "Jacques," or "James," which is related to the Spanish "Jaime." It is found in the southern region of France, especially in Gascony. Note that it would be pronounced "ZHAY-may," with two syllables, not with the Modern English pronunciation.
"Lancereaux" is an Old French word for a snake or young pike (a pike is a long and narrow fish). It was used as a descriptive term for a tall, thin man. In your period, it could have either been a descriptive nickname or a family surname--both surnames and nicknames were used in 15th-century France.
Our source for this information was "Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Famille et Prenoms de France" by Albert Dauzat.
Zenobia Naphtali and Arval D'Espas Nord contributed to this letter.
We hope this has been helpful. If you need further assistance, please contact us again.
In service,
Alan Fairfax
Academy of S. Gabriel