ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3364 http://www.s-gabriel.org/3364 ************************************ 29 Dec 2009 From: Juliana de Luna Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for our help in constructing and documenting an English name that included references to , and . This is what we have found. First, we'd like to apologize for the time this letter has taken; we hope the information is still of use to you. We believe Cassandra to be a likely name for the 13th and 14th century. The vernacular form is also found in 1379 [1]. While it falls out of use for a time, is revived in the late 16th century [2]. It is a fine given name for a woman at these times. Concerning , we found two types of English bynames appropriate to your purposes. The first type of byname originated as a patronymic byname (one based on the given name of the original bearer's father). These include , and [3] in 1332 and in 1374 [5]. The second type of byname is a locative byname (one which refers to a place), like , in 1281, in 1540 [4] and in 1401 [6]. We were also able to identify several locative bynames used in England that refer to the region of Brittany, including in 1291, in 1297, and in 1327 [7]. Since these refer to the region of Brittany instead of Britain, they would closer preserve the connection to the modern given name than , which you told us you have been using. Combining with any of the family names or bynames mentioned above would be reasonable. However, it is unlikely that a woman in fourteenth century England or earlier would use two locatives simultaneously, as locatives in this period were generally used literally. (That is to say, someone named would probably be from Ashley, while someone named would be from Brittany.) Therefore, if you wish to use three elements in your name we recommend you choose one of the family names similar to rather than one of the locatives we have found for , reating a name like . 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. We were assisted in researching and writing this letter by Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Adelaide de Beaumont, Coblaith Mhuimhneach, Talan Gwynek, Leonor Ruiz de Lison, Gunnvor silfraharr, and Ursula Georges. For the Academy, Juliana de Luna & Caitriona inghean Ui Bhraonain 29 December 2009 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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] Talan Gwynek, "Late Sixteenth Century English Given Names" (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1997). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/eng16/ [3] Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "An Index to the 1332 Lay Subsidy Rolls for Lincolnshire, England" (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 2000). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/LincLSR/ [4] Stampnitzky, Julie, "Surnames in Durham and Northumberland, 1521-1615" (WWW: privately published, 2001). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juetta/parish/surnames.html [5] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.n. Aslin [6] Ibid., s.n. Ashley [7] Ibid., s.n. Britain