|
Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!
You asked us for information about the name "Marquet de la Heyt", preferably in a French context. Here's what we've found.
"Marquet" is a French diminutive of "Marc". The 1292 census of Paris lists people named "Marque" and "Marques", and gives several examples of the "-et" diminutive ending (analogous to the "-y" ending in "Johnny" or "Bobby"). It shows "Mahi" and "Mahiet", "Ponce" and "Poncet", and many other examples [1]. We think it is likely that "Marquet" could have been used in France at any time from the 13th century onward.
Unfortunately, we could not support the surname "de la Heyt" in French. It is an English name, meaning "dweller on the height". The word "heyt" is a Middle English spelling of "height". The name is recorded in 1275, "Henry de la Heyt" [2]. A great many English names use elements derived from French, as a result of the Norman Conquest and the subsequent close culture contacts between the two countries. Ihe late 13th century was about the time when French and English naming practices began to diverge. Therefore, from this point in history onward, we do not think that an English surname should be used in a French name without specific documentation that the name was also used in French.
If you are interested in a similar-sounding French name, you could consider "de La Haye" or "de La Haie", based on any of several French places called "La Haye" or "La Haie" [3]. The spelling varied over our period; if you tell us when you want to set your persona in French history, we can suggest the best spelling of your name.
If you would prefer to used "de la Heyt", then we suggest you consider adopting a 13th century English persona. At that time, "Marquet" would not have been found in England; but the slightly different name "Marcet" or "Market" was probably used. "Mark" was not a common name in medieval English, but it was used in the forms "Marcus" (1273, 1303), "Mark" and "Marke" (1273). The "-et" diminutive ending was found in English as well as in French. We find examples of "Martinet" (1306), "Adinet" (1306, a nickname for "Adam"), and other similar names [4].
In summary, we recommend that you choose one of two possibilities. If you want a French persona set at any time from the 13th century onward, then you could use the name "Marquet de la Haye". If you want a 13th or 14th century English persona, then you could use "Market de la Heyt". If your interests do not fit either category, please contact us again and we'll be happy to help you further.
I hope this letter has been useful to you.
For the Academy of Saint Gabriel,
Arval Benicoeur
References
[1] Colm Dubh, An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris, Known World Heraldic Symposium, June 22-23, 1996, Montgomery, Alabama
[2] Reaney & Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames, Oxford University Press, 1995.
[3] Dauzat & Rostaing, Dictionnaire Étymologique des Noms de Lieux de la France. Paris, 1963.
[4] E. G. Withycombe, The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 3rd ed., Oxford University Press.