Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 375

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 375

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/375

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Good my lady,

I've finished my research on your name. The research is not as good as I would like because I have no sources for 16th century French women's names. Finding some will be a research project for the future. However, I've got some information that I think you will find useful.

The closest match I found for your given name is "Alissende", which is documented from early 14th century Foix in an article by Mistress Cateline de la Mor (published in Known World Heraldic Symposium proceedings and on my web site, http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/. One cannot say for sure whether that name was still in use two hundred years later, but it is at least plausible.

I do not think that "Alizaunde" is a valid alternate spelling of "Alissende". The only names I found which start with "Aliz-" are "Aliz", an Old French form of "Alice" and "Alizon", a form of "Alison" and diminutive of "Alice" which seems to have persisted somewhat later. I doubt either name was in use in your period. "Alison" was in use.

There were also probably feminine forms of "Alexandre" in use in French in your period, but I was not able to document them specifically. I would expect to find "Alexandrette" or "Alexandrine" rather than "Alexandra", but this is just speculation.

I could not find "Bregeuf" or "Brebeuf" in my references on French place names. You suggested that you know that "Brebeuf" is correct. If you found documentation of it, I'd be curious to know your source. Of course, since you have already registered "de Bregeuf", you can always keep it as part of your registered name, even if you change the rest of the name. However, if you want a documented place name you might consider Brégy, Brébant, Brebotte, Breux, or Breuilh. If you want a similar sounding surname (which would be used on its own, without the preposition "de") you could consider Bregaud, Bregeot, Brégou, Bre/geut, or Bre/bec. If any of these interest you, I can give you details.

I hope this letter has been helpful.

Good cheer!

Arval