ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2270
http://www.s-gabriel.org/2270
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20 Mar 2001
From:  (Josh Mittleman)


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked whether <Jeremiah Evenstar> is an appropriate name for an English
sailor or trader around 1580.  This letter is a brief answer to your
question.

It happens that we have a list of names of some English sailors from the
1570s; you may want to look it over to get an idea of the kinds of names
that are appropriate for the persona you're creating.  You can find the
list on the web:

  Names of Members of the Frobisher Voyages, 1576-1578
    http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/frobisher/

The name <Jeremiah> came into use in England late in our period.  It became
more common after our period, but we have several period examples from
Chesham and from London [1, 2]:

  Jereme   1574
  Jeremiah 1576/7 
  Jeremie  1561, 1580, 1599 
  Jeremy   1600 
  Jeremyah 1577

We haven't found an example of <Evenstar> used as a surname in period
England, but we can suggest a few other surnames that might appeal to you.
In 16th century England, nearly everyone had an inherited family name, just
as we do today.  A man's surname was not expected to describe him or relate
to his occupation in any way; but that doesn't mean a sailor _wouldn't_
have had a surname that coincidentally made some reference to the sea or
navigation.

  Starbucke 1601 [3]
  Sterrey   1601 [3]
  Starkie   1592 [4]

  Venus     1623 (A later form of the name recorded as <de Venus> 1230,
                  refering to the place <Venoix> in France) [4, 5]

The surname <Venus> was found particularly in Sussex [4], so it would be a
good choice for a sailor.  None of these names has anything to do with
stars or planets, of course: the resemblance is coincidental.  

Here are some possibilities that appear to refer to the sea, beach, or
harbor.  (In fact, most of them didn't originally have their apparent
meanings; we can give you the history of any particular name that interests
you.) [4]

  Seabrook  1613         Sandes    1589        
  Seiborne  1581         Sandys    1633        
  Sebright  1601                            
		         Shipman   1602
  Docker    1565         Shippe    1379 
  Docking   1415, 1803   Ship      1762

If you'd like to consider other late-period English surnames, you can find
several lists in our Medieval Names Archive in these two indices:

  http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/eng1450to1600.shtml
  http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/engPost1600.shtml


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 Talan Gwynek, Adelaide de Beaumont, Mari neyn Brian, Julie Stampnitzky,
and Aryanhwy merch Catmael.

For the Academy,


  Arval Benicoeur
  20 Mar 2001


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References

[1] Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "Given Names in Chesham, 1538-1600/1" (WWW:
J. Mittleman, 1999). 
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/chesham/

[2] Brooke, J.M.S., and A.W.C. Hallen, A. W. C., _The Transcript of the
Registers of the United Parishes of S. Mary Woolnoth and S. Mary Woolchurch
Haw, in the City of London, from their Commencement 1538 to 1760_ (London:
Bowles & Sons, 1886). 

[3] Hitching, F.K. & S. Hitching, _References to English Surnames in 1601_
(Walton-on-Thames: Chas. A. Bernau, 1910), p.lxii.

[4] Bardsley, Charles, _A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames_
(Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980), s.nn. Veness, Seabrook,
Seaborn, Seabright, Shipman, Ship, Starkey, Sands, Docker, Docking.

[5] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_
(London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.n. Veness.