ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3100 http://www.s-gabriel.org/3100 ************************************ 5 Sep 2005 From: Aryanhwy merch Catmael Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You asked for suggestions on bynames meaning 'healer' or 'redhaired' which would be appropriate for a medieval English woman named . Here is the information we have found. We found in 1273, as well as in 1279, the Latin form in 1186-1210, 1220, 1295, and 1303, and the diminutive in 1182-83 and 1197. [1] Because of this, we have focused on bynames appropriate for the 13th and 14th centuries. There are various bynames meaning "redhead" or "redhaired" that we can recommend, including the following [2,4,5]: Red Red, 1176 le Red, 1332 le Rede, 1220 le Reed, 1296 Redhead Redhed, 1256 Redheved, 1279 Redheued, 1300-03 Rous Rous, 1225 le Rous, 1273 le Rouse, 1273 (a woman) Rouze, 1273 (a woman) Russe, 1218 le Rus, 1253, 1273 le Ruse, 1285 (a woman) Russ, 1273 la Russe, 1273 (a woman) We found a number of examples of people with surnames that denoted doctors or healers after 1200: [2,3] Barber le Barbur, 1221, 1246, 1248, 1250, 1255, 1268, 1273, 1277, 1279 1280, 1281 le Barber, 1262, 1273, 1279, 1281, 1298 le Barbir, 1273 le Barbour, 1273, 1302 le Barbier, 1299 Bloodletter Blodletere, 1221 le Blodletere, 1292 Le Blodletere, 1292 Dubbedent, from 'to repair, to refurbish' and 'tooth'; perhaps a name for a dentist. Dubedent, 1221 Dubbedent, 1277 Infirmary del enfermerie, 12th C de la Fermeria, 1203 del Fermere, 1301 Leech le Leche, 1249, 1279, 1292, 1333 Leche, c1250 Medicus; this is a Latin form that would've been used in Latin contexts only. Medicus, 1212 Mire, Old French for 'physician' le Mire, 1212 le Myre, 1256 Pestle (referring to the mortar and pestle used by apothecaries) Pestel, 1221, 1246 Pystel, 1296 Physic, Physician Physik, recorded sometime between 1272 and 1307 le Fisicien, 1269, 1281 Surgeon le Surigien, 1255 le Suriegien, 1273 le Surgien, 1279 le Surrugien, 1279 le Sursyen, 1288 Ventoser 'a cupper, one who draws blood by cupping' le Ventoser, 1279 la Ventoser, 1311 We found , , and all used by women, so these are fine choices. 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 Maridonna Benvenuti, Talan Gwynek, Eleyne de Comnocke, Arval Benicoeur, and Alzbeta Michalik. For the Academy, -Aryanhwy merch Catmael, 05 September 2005 -- References: [1] Talan Gwynek, "Feminine Given Names in _A Dictionary of English Surnames_" (SCA: KWHS Proceedings, 1994; WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1997). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/reaney/ [2] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.nn. Barber, Blood, Dubbedent, Farmery, Leach, Leachman, Letcher, Myer, Pestell, Physick, Read, Redhead, Rous, Sucker, Surgenor, Surgeon [3] Fransson, Gustav, _Middle English Surnames of Occupation, 1100-1350_ Lund: C. W. K. Gleerup, 1935), ch. IX, p. 187 [4] Jo"nsjo", Jan, _Studies on Middle English Nicknames_, v.1 Compounds (CWK Gleerup, date unknown), s.n. Redheued [5] Bardsley, Charles, _A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames_ (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980) s.nn. Barber, Barbour, Rous, Surgeon