ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3091 http://www.s-gabriel.org/3091 ************************************ 31 Aug 2005 From: Gunnvor Silfraharr Greetings from the Academy of St. Gabriel! You asked us to evaluate the name and a byname meaning "the steel weaver", or an occupational byname for a person who crafted chainmail, for a Norman or Saxon ca. 1000-1200. Here is what we found. The name is derived from the Old Norse name . In your period, we found English examples including in 1193, and "Jacobus son of Brand" in 1206 [1]. As we explained in our earlier correspondence, a metaphorical description of a mail-maker such as "steel weaver" only occurred in poetry, not in names [2]. We did not find any bynames that combined the idea of weaving and metal or weaving and armor-crafting during our research. We did find several occupational bynames describing men who crafted armor, all very literal. We found two examples of a byname derived from Old French (OFr) , "a maker of hauberks or coats of mail": in 1201 [3] and in 1251 [4]. A less likely byname is , found in 1221; this byname is probably from OFr "enameller", but it may occasionally refer to a maker of mail armor [5]. Terms meaning "smith" are one of the most likely possibilities for an occupational byname for a man who crafts chainmail. Today we think of smiths as being a specific type of metalworker, but in your period the term could be applied to several types of craftsman. We found <{th}e Smith> ca.1100 [6]. The {th} here represents the character thorn, which resembles a lower-case

overlapping a lower-case , so that they share a single loop. We found instances of Latin "smith" in 1066, ca.1110, and in 1148. The byname may be translating Old English or OFr [7]. The notation {dh} represents the character 'edh', which looks like a backward <6> with a crossbar on the riser. Another possible byname is Old French "furbisher of armor, etc.", sometimes Latinized to ; examples include in 1148, in 1180, and in 1199 [7, 8]. One last possibility is the byname , which we found in 1148; this name is derived from OFr , "lorimer, spurrier" for a craftsman who made small items of ironware such as wrought-iron pieces, horse-harness, or spurs [7, 9]. For an Englishman employed making chainmail in your period, is a fine name. In the second half of the 12th century, would also be a fine choice. I 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 Meistres Bronwen, Talan Gwynek, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Arval Benicoeur, and Maridonna Benvenuti. For the Academy, Gunnvor Silfraharr 31 August 2005 ----------------------------------------------------- References [1] Reaney, P.H., & R.M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995). s.n. . [2] "Riddle 33: The Exeter Book Riddles". (WWW: Kalamazoo Riddle Group. 2004). http://www2.kenyon.edu/AngloSaxonRiddles/Riddles/Riddle33.htm [3] Reaney & Wilson, op. cit. [see note 1 above], s.n. . [4] Fransson, Gustav, _Middle English Surnames of Occupation, 1100-1350_ (Lund: C. W. K. Gleerup, 1935). S.n. . [5] Reaney & Wilson, op. cit. [see note 1 above], s.n. . [6] Reaney & Wilson, op. cit. [see note 1 above], s.n. . [7] Von Feilitzen, Olof, _The Pre-Conquest Personal Names of Domesday Book_ (Uppsala: 1937). [8] Reaney & Wilson, op. cit. [see note 1 above], s.n. . [9] Trades and Occupations Dictionary. (WWW: 19th C Crafts.) http://www.ict.mic.ul.ie/100yearsago/web/craft_list_l.htm s.vv. , .