ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3230
http://www.s-gabriel.org/3230
************************************

24 Nov 2006
From: Aryanhwy merch Catmael 

Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel!

You wanted to know if <Aurelia de' Medici> is an authentic name for an
Italian woman living between 1400 and 1550.  Here is what we have found.

We found a few examples of Italian women named <Aurelia>, but only in
the 16th century.  There are two 16th century Italian women writers,
<Aurelia Petrucci> and <Aurelia Roverella>. [3]  We also found a woman
from Palermo named <Aurelia> who was baptised sometime between 1561
and 1563 [4], and in a book from the end of the 16th century/beginning
of the 17th century we find <Aurelia Litta> and <Aurelia Serbellona>.
[5]  We therefore can recommend <Aurelia> as a fine name, but only for
the end of your period and the latter half of the 16th century.

In a study of names from Florence between 1282 and 1532, the family
name <Medici> occurs 593 times, making it one of the most popular
family names. [1]  The standard form of this family name is <dei
Medici>, and it is often abbreviated <de' Medici> [2], so this is a
fine choice.

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.

For the Academy,
-Aryanhwy merch Catmael, 24 November 2006

--
References:

[1] Herlihy, David, R. Burr Litchfield, and Anthony Molho, "Florentine
Renaissance Resources: Online Tratte of Office Holders 1282-1532"
(WWW: Brown University, Providence, RI, 2000). 
http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/tratte/

[2] "The Medici Archive Project" (WWW: Medici.org, 2005)
http://documents.medici.org/document_details.cfm?entryid=18942&returnstr=orderby=SendName@is_search=1@result_id=0
lists <Giuliano de' Medici> in Florence 1539
http://documents.medici.org/document_details.cfm?entryid=6069&returnstr=orderby=SendName@is_search=1@result_id=0
lists <Tommaso de' Medici> in Florence 1543
http://documents.medici.org/document_details.cfm?entryid=6871&returnstr=orderby=SendName@is_search=1@result_id=20
lists <Zanobi de' Medici> in Florence 1545
http://documents.medici.org/volume_details.cfm?mdp=196
lists <duca Cosimo I dei Medici> 1551-1555

[3] Ockerbloom, Mary Mark, ed., "A Celebration of Women Writers:
Writers from Italy" (WWW: University of Pennsylvania, no date)
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/_generate/ITALY.html

[4] Lyneya Fairbowe, unpublished research based on a baptismal
register from Palermo 1561-3 that is available from the research
library of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.

[5] "Cesare Negri's Le Gratie d'Amore / Nuove Inventioni Di Balli
(1602/1604)" (WWW: Gregory Blount of Isenfir).
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/negri/
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/negri/transcription/0006.clean.html