ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2090
http://www.s-gabriel.org/2090
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16 May 2000
From:  (Josh Mittleman)


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked whether <Owein Llen Merricke> is an appropriate name for a late
16th century Welshman.  This letter is a brief answer to your question.

As you noted, all three elements of this name are found in English-language
records from your period [1, 2], and this combination could well have
appeared in Anglo-Welsh records in your period.  However, you may have
mis-interpreted <Llen> and the resulting name may not mean what you intend.

<Llen> is an abbreviation of the common Welsh name <Llewelyn>.  This sort
of abbreviation was not unusual in 16th century records, both in Welsh and
English.  <David>, for example, was usually recorded as <D'd>.  <Llewelyn>
was also abbreviation <Ll> and we would expect to see <Lle'n> as well [2].

Three-part names like yours were not especially common in 16th century
records, but they weren't rare.  However, it is important to note that
<Llewelyn> would not have been a second given name or middle name; it would
have been the name of Owein's father.  In other words, <Owein Lle'n
Merricke> would have been an anglicization of <Owein ap Llewelyn ap Meurig>
"Owein son of Llewelyn son of Meurig" [2].  (<Merricke> is an English
spelling of the Welsh name <Meurig>.)

With those caveats, we can assure you that you've chosen a fine name.


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 Mari neyn Brian, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Adelaide de
Beaumont, and Aryanhwy merch Catmael.

For the Academy,


  Arval Benicoeur
  16 May 2000


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References

[1] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), "A Simple
Guide to Constructing 16th Century Welsh Names (in English Contexts)" (WWW:
J. Mittleman, 1996). 
http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/tangwystyl/welsh16.html

[2] Talan Gwynek, "Late Sixteenth Century Welsh Names" (1994; WWW:
J. Mittleman, 1997). 
http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/talan/talanWelsh16.html