ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2307
http://www.s-gabriel.org/2307
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From: Lisa and Ken Theriot 
14 May 2001



Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!


You asked if <Julian> is an appropriate name for a woman living in Scotland 
between 1400 and 1550.  Here is the information we have found.


Starting in the late 14th century, there were two main languages spoken in 
Scotland: Gaelic, spoken in the Highlands and Western Isles, and Scots, 
spoken in the Lowlands, including the royal court and towns.  Gaelic was 
the same language spoken in Ireland at this time; Scots was closely related 
to contemporary English.  Names were formed quite differently in the two 
languages, and the two styles of naming did not mix.


As you noted when you wrote to us, we find <Julian> recorded in Scotland in 
1288 [1].  The name was found in Coldstream, which is situated in the 
Lowlands almost directly on the border between England and Scotland (near 
the city of Berwick and the abbey of Lindesfarne).  We would expect the 
people who lived in this region  for your period to speak Scots, rather 
than Gaelic [2].


We do not find any form of <Julian> recorded in Scotland during your 
period.  This does not mean that it was not used; our sources are far from 
exhaustive.  Since <Julian> was found earlier in
Scotland and since the 15th & 16th century Lowland naming pool was in many 
ways similar to the English naming pool, it is reasonable to look over the 
border to the north of England for more data.  From parish registers in 
Durham (in the North of England) we find the following forms recorded:


Gelyan 1538 [4]
Gilean 1595 [5]
Gilian 1607 [6], 1608 [7]
Gillian 1602 [8]
Jelian 1596 [9]
Jellian 1591 [10], 1612 [4]
Jelyan 1608 [11]
Jollyan 1613 [12]
Julian 1571 [13]
Julyan 1581 [14], 1583 [4]


Though most of these examples are later than your period, the forms are 
consistent with examples we find recorded in England beginning in the 12th 
century [15]; we have no reason to believe that they were not in use 
continuously, at least in England.


We believe that <Julian> is a plausible, though unattested, given name for 
a Lowland Scottish woman in your period, especially one living near the 
English border.  When you choose a surname, it should be Lowland Scottish 
rather than Gaelic in origin; if you would like us to help you with your 
surname, please write again.


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 Arval Benicoeur, Aryanhwy merch 
Catmael, Blaise de Cormeilles, Effrick neyn Kenneoch, Julie Stampnitzky, 
Mari neyn Brian, Talan Gwynek, and Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn.



For the Academy,


Adelaide de Beaumont
14 May 2001

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References:


[1]     Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning 
and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986), s.n. Graden.


[2]     We have found no evidence that any form of <Julian> was ever 
borrowed into Gaelic.


[3]     Withycombe, E.G., _The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian 
Names_, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988), s.n. Juliana.


[4] "Marriages from the Durham St Oswald Registers (1538-1734)" (WWW: 
GENUKI, 1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/DSO.html


[5] "Marriages from the Easington Registers (1570-1837)" (WWW: GENUKI, 
1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/EAS.html


[6] "Marriages from the Hamsterley Registers (1580-1837)" (WWW: GENUKI, 
1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/HAM.html


[7] Marriages from the Medomsley Registers (1608-1837) (WWW: GENUKI, 1996). 
http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/MED.html


[8] "Marriages from the Gainford Registers (1569-1719)" (WWW: GENUKI, 
1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/GAI.html


[9] "Marriages from the Durham St Mary-le-Bow Registers (1571-1837)" (WWW: 
GENUKI, 1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/DSB.html


[10] "Marriages from the Ryton Registers (1581-1699)" (WWW: GENUKI, 1996). 
http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/RYT1581.html


[11] "Marriages from the Cockfield Registers (1579-1837)" (WWW: GENUKI, 
1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/COC.html


[12] "Marriages from the Gateshead Registers (1600-1699)" (WWW: GENUKI, 
1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/GAT1600.html


[13] "Marriages from the Durham St Nicholas Registers (1540-1719)" (WWW: 
GENUKI, 1996). http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/DSN.html


[14] "Marriages from the Houghton-le-Spring Registers (1563-1699)" (WWW: 
GENUKI, 1996). 
http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/Transcriptions/DUR/HSP1563.html


[15]     Talan Gwynek, "Feminine Given Names in _A Dictionary of English 
Surnames_" (SCA: KWHS Proceedings, 1994; WWW: J. Mittleman, 1997), s.n. 
Juliana for the period 1250-1450.
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/reaney/