ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2451 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2451 ************************************ 10 Jan 2002 From: Aryanhwy merch Catmael Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You asked for information about the use of the Welsh feminine name before 1600. Here is the information we have found. is a variant form of , an ethnically Welsh name that was, towards the end of the Middle Ages, often equated with the unrelated English name . [16] While we did not find the specific spelling you are interested in, various other forms of were used in Wales throughout the medieval period. The spelling used by a writer in our period depended on the language he was using, the languages he spoke, and his familiarity with the names he was recording. Welsh and English writers used different systems for converting sounds to spelling, so certain spellings are characteristic of one linguistic context or the other. When English writers recorded a native Welsh name, they sometimes recorded it phonetically according to the English spelling system, sometimes used a conventional spelling of the name, and sometimes used an English name that was considered equivalent to the Welsh name. For example, the Welsh was often rendered in 13th century English records. [15] _Welsh_ The earliest that we found the name is in the 9th century, where it was spelled . [1] Other examples include in the 14th century, and in the 14th and 16th centuries. [2,3] In one 16th century document we found the more unusual spelling ; of all the forms that we found, this is closest to the one that you wanted. [10] _Anglo-Latin_ The spellings we found in English records include both Welsh and English spelling conventions: as well as , final as well as , , and . Some spellings show that association with the English name overrode any Welsh influence altogether. 1292: [4,11,12,13,14] Leucu Leuke Leuky Lleucu Leweke Lewke 15th c.: [5,6] Leuki Lleucu Lleuku 16th c. [3,7,8,9] Lleyke Lekey Llyke Lleuki Leuki Luce Lucy Lywsi Lleiky The usual pronunciation of the name, throughout the medieval period, was something like \LLEH-kee\. Spellings with were probably pronounced \LLEHW-kee\, influenced by the English . The Welsh \LL\ is a sound that is not found in English, and is particularly difficult to describe. A close approximation of it can be gotten by placing the tongue as for saying \l\, and then hissing between the sides of the tongue and the teeth. In conclusion, the spellings closest to your desired form appear in the mid-to-late 16th century, and therefore we recommend you consider creating a full name that would be appropriate for that time period. For information on 16th century Welsh naming practices, we recommend you read the following articles: "A Simple Guide to Constructing 16th Century Welsh Names" http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welsh16.html "Women's Names in the First Half of 16th Century Wales" http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welshWomen16/ "Late Sixteenth Century Welsh Names" http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/talanWelsh16.html We hope that this letter has been useful to you and that you won't hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval Benicoeur, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Talan Gwynek, and Ursula Georges. For the Academy, ~Argantgui filia Catmaili, 11Jan02 -- References: [1] Evans, J. Gwenogvryn, _The Text of the Book of Llan Dav_(Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales, 1979) (Facsimile of the 1893 Oxford edition). p. 236 [2] Bartrum, P.C., _Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts_ (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1966). [3] Dwnn, Lewys, ed. By Samuel Rush Meyrick. 1846. Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches. Welsh Manuscripts Society, Llandovery. [4] Hopkins, Anthony. 1996. "The Lay Subsidy of 1292: Monmouth and the Three Castles" in Studia Celtica 30:189-196. [5] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), "Names and Naming Practices in the Anglesey Submissions of 1406", in "Y Camamseriad" issue 4, Summer, 1996. [6] Lewis, E.A. "The Court Rolls of the Manor of Broniarth (Co. Mont.), 1429-64" in Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, 1944, 11:54-73. [7] Jones, Heather Rose. "Women's Names in the First Half of 16th Century Wales" in Y Camamseriad 4 (1996). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welshWomen16/ [8] Y Cwtta Cyfarwydd. 1883. Whiting & Co., Ltd., London. [9] Jones, F. 1941. "Roll of Wards of the Lords Marcher of Kemes, Pembrokeshire" in Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, 10:83-94. [10] Jones, Francis. 1955. "Family Tales from Dyfed" in Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1953:61-82. [11] Jones, Francis. 1950. The Subsidy of 1292. Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies vol. 13:210-230. (Covers Abergavenny and Cilgerran) [12] Pierce, T. Jones "A Lleyn Lay subsidy Account" in BBCS Vol. 5 Part 1 (Nov 1929) p.54-71. [13] Pierce, T. Jones "Lay Subsidy Account 242/50 [A.D. 1293]" in BBCS vol.5 part 2 (May 1930) p.142-8. (manor of Nevyn) [14] Williams-Jones, Keith. The Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll 1292-3. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1976. [15] Morgan, T.J. and Prys Morgan, _Welsh Surnames_ (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1985). p. 149 [16] Bartrum, Peter C., _A Welsh Classical Dictionary: People in history and legend up to about A.D. 1000_ (Aberystwyth: The National Library of Wales, 1993). s.v. Lleucu, St.