ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2128 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2128 ************************************ ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Later research turned up additional * * information relevant to this report. * * See the end of the letter for details. * * * ************************************************* 17 Oct 2000 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether and are appropriate names for a man and woman in 13th century Germany. Here is what we have found. There was a significant shift in the German name pool around the end of the 13th century, as Christian names became popular. In the 13th century and before, Christian names were generally rare; most people had names of German origin. The names you and your wife have chosen are both Christian names of Greek origin; we've found German examples of both in the 14th century and both became common in the 15th century. We can offer some suggestions for the late 13th century, but these names are definitely more typical of a later period. The earliest German example we've found of any form of is the given name 1351 and the full name 1363. is a pet form of , used in this case as a patronymic byname. We also found 1435, 1488, 1480, and 1454 [1, 2]. If you prefer a name better suited to 13th century Germany, you might consider some form of instead. We found 1095, 1143, 12th and early 14th, 1149, 14th C [5]. Two Low German forms particularly appropriate for the Hamburg region are 11th C and c.1300 [5, 10, 11]. The earliest German forms of that we found include 1245, 1286, 1287, 1287, 1294 [8]. However, these examples are all from southern Germany. In the Middle Ages, the name appears to have been far more common in the south than in the region of Hamburg in the north. However, we've also found in Sweden before 1310 and a few examples of in 13th century Denmark [7, 9]. These examples suggest that the name might have been used occasionally in 13th century northern Germany. The cult of Saint Katherine became popular in Germany in the 14th century [6], and that may have [Ed. replaced "apparently"] prompted the widespread use of the name [6]. We found a name containing a form of from quite close to your period: 1311 [1]. A late 13th century man from that city might have been called or . Note that the word for "from" was spelled in Low German in your period, as opposed to the High German . His wife might have been known by a name like "Katerina Kunz's daughter". She might also have been called , using a feminine form of her husband's surname [12]. We hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Talan Gwynek, Julie Stampnitzky, Adelaide de Beaumont, Dietmar von Straubing, Gotfrid von Schwaben, and Harold von Hahn. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 17 Oct 2000 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann, _Etymologisches Woerterbuch der deutschen Familiennamen_ (Limburg a. d. Lahn, C. A. Starke-Verlag, 1957-1960), s.nn. Stoffel, Hamburg(er). [2] Talan Gwynek, "Late Period German Masculine Given Names" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/germmasc/ [3] Talan Gwynek, "Medieval German Given Names from Silesia", revised edition (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1999). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/bahlow/ [5] Socin, Adolf, _Mittelhochdeutsches Namenbuch. Nach oberrheinischen Quellen des 12. und 13. Jahrhunderts_ (Basel: Helbing & Lichtenhahn, 1903; Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1966), p.67, 72. [6] Farmer, David Hugh, _The Oxford Dictionary of Saints_, 2nd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), s.nn. Catherine of Alexandria, Fourteen Holy Helpers. [7] Lindorm Eriksson (aka Christer Romson), _Swedish Feminine Names from ca. 1300_ (WWW: J. Mittleman). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/lindorm/swedish1300female.html [8] Socin, p.91. [9] Knudsen Gunnar, Marius Kristiansen, & Rikard Hornby, _Danmarks Gamle Personnavne_, Vol. I: Fornavne (Copenhagen: 1936-48), s.n. Katerina. [10] Zoder, R., _Familiennamen in Ostfalen_ (Hildesheim: 1968), p.97. 1300/03 'Alheyt Kersten's daughter'. We also find examples of as a forename in the 1360s and 1370s, pp.84, 105. [11] Knudsen et al., s.n. Kristiarn has Danish examples of from the second half of the 14th century. They note that it is a Low German form, so one can assume it was used in northern Germany a bit earlier. [12] Zoder, pp.53-5. He notes two methods of creating a feminine form of a family name: adding the Low German feminine suffix <-s(e)>, <-sch(e)>, <-sk(e)> or adding the High German feminine <-in>. His examples of the first style are too late for your period, though if you want a mid-15th century name, would be a fine choice. For the second style, he offers 1272, 1332, 1352/64. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Correction, Arval, 1 Feb 2004: Softened the statement about the cult of St. Catherine popularizing her name, and clarified note [6].