ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2678 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2678 ************************************ ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Later research turned up additional * * information relevant to this report. * * See the end of the letter for details. * * * ************************************************* 8 Jun 2003 From: Aryanhwy merch Catmael Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You wanted to know if or is an appropriate name for a woman of Anglo-Norman descent living in Ireland in the 14th century. Here is the information we have found. Because we do not have many sources that deal explicitly with names of Anglo-Normans living in Ireland, we have discussed these elements based upon evidence that we've found from England. Given that the choice of names and the naming patterns used in Ireland by the Anglo- Normans did not differ much at all, this English evidence is sufficient to demonstrate the reasonability of a name for an Anglo- Norman whether living in England or Ireland. The first clear examples of the name that we've found in England are from the 16th century; these names probably represent the English form of the Latin word . In the 13th and 14th centuries, we find a similar name recorded [1,2]: Gracia 1232-35, 1346 Grece 1275 (recorded as a byname) Grecia 1346 Gricia 1346 may be a Latin form of as well, but the presence of the spellings and make it more likely that these are Latin forms of some Germanic name derived from the Old French element 'grey'. [1,2] It could also be related to the French , recorded in 1075, which could be in origin a byname meaning 'Grecian'. [3] Even if the names listed above are Latin forms of the name that is modernly spelled , it is not likely that was the vernacular (spoken) form at that time. Rather, we believe that , which would have been pronounced like , would be correct. is a fine name for an Englishwoman living in your period; we cannot recommend the spelling . Surnames using the construction + were well established by the 14th century. In 1344, we find a record of one and in 1473 , also a form of . [1] This 1473 example is the first that we find of a woman recorded with a style byname, but we believe it is at least possible for the end of the 14th century. Therefore, or is a fine surname. In your period, most records were written in Latin. Most given names when recorded where Latinized, while surnames were less likely to have been. A woman known as might therefore have been recorded as in a number of different fashions, such as or . [4] We hope that this letter has been useful to you and that you won't hesitate to write us again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Adelaide de Beaumont, Talan Gwynek, Arval Benicoeur, and Mari neyn Brian. For the Academy, -Aryanhwy merch Catmael, 08Jun03 -- References: [1] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995). s.nn. FitzHerbert, FitzJames, FitzJohn, Grace, Hugh [2] Withycombe, E.G., _The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names_, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988). s.n. Grace [3] Morlet, Marie-Therese, _Les Noms de Personne sur le Territoire de l'Ancienne Gaule du VIe au XIIe Siecle_, three volumes (Paris: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1972). (II:57b) [4] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), "Names and Naming Practices in the Red Book of Ormond" (SCA, Inc: Known World Heraldic Symposium Proceedings, Tir Ysgithir, 1998; WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1999) http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangywystl/lateirish ---------------------------------- Correction by Aryanhwy, 08 February 2007: Added footnote to paragraph of ,