Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 558

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 558

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/558

Some of the Academy's early reports contain errors that we haven't yet corrected. Please use it with caution.

Greetings from the Academy of St. Gabriel!

You asked for information regarding 1) appropriate names for your persona, whose father or grandfather came to England with William the Conqueror, suggesting Roland D'Argentan; 2)appropriate arms, suggesting per pale vert and argent, a bordure embattled sable; and 3) the history of the surname Aydt. Here's what we've found.

First, as to your persona's name. The personal name you have suggested is recorded in the following forms, listed with the date(s):

Rolland 1086 [1]
Rolandus 1133 [2], 1186-1220 [1]
Ruelandus 1188 [2]
Roulandus 12th Century [2]
Rodlandus 1199 [3]
Rolent 1186-87 [3]

The appropriate choice for a byname will depend on whether your persona is noble or common. By "noble," we mean the landed class of the knighthood and their families, what could be called the "high-born." "Commoners" would be everybody else, including merchants and artisans. The nobility of that period did not take up manual trades, so it would be unlikely that a noble Norman family of the conquest would have descended to the level of artisans within two generations. If they did, it would have been considered a deep disgrace.

Therefore, if your persona is noble, you would not want a byname associated with a trade. However, you could still use "d'Argentan," as it is one of many French place names derived from the given name "Argentius" or "Argantius" (which would have originally come from "argent" (silver), but that would be an archaic connection). [2] A similar name is "Argenton," which appears as "Argentem" in 1289, "Argentus" in 1069, and "Argentum" in 1096.

If your persona is a silversmith whose (grand)father was in service to William or one of his knights, then incorporating the trade into your byname would be appropriate. We were unable to locate a French surname specifically meaning "silversmith," but the modern French for "silversmith" is "orfe\vre," literally "goldsmith" (the "e\" means there is an accent grave over the "e"). It appears the term was used for persons working in any fine metals. The period form is "Orfevre," the accent being a modern addition. Because early records were all kept in Latin, our first example of this as a written byname is from the 13th century, but it would have been the normal spoken form in your period. [3,4] "Aurifaber" is the Latin form and is found in the Domesday book. [5].

If you wish to use an English byname, "Silver" appears as a byname for a silversmith in 1205.

Therefore, you can be the nobleman Rolland d'Argentus descended from a family originating in Argentus, France. Alternatively, you can be the commoner Rolandus Aurifaber, Rolent le Orfevre, or Rolland Silver, a silversmith.

Second, as to your arms. Heraldry was not invented until the late 12th century and is probably not appropriate for your persona at all. However, if you still wish to design arms, the appropriate arms will once again depend on whether your persona is noble or common.

A nobleman would not have used smithing tool as a charge in his arms, as it was considered disgraceful to take up a trade. It must have happened, since it is decried so often in the chivalric texts, but it wasn't something anyone would advertise.

Wealthy guildsmen who adopted arms did often use tools of their trade as charges, so a silverworking tool would be appropriate. [4] There is no single charge that conventionally meant "silversmith." A tool used by a 12th century silversmith would be appropriate; you'll need to do some research to find one.

Generally, arms for the early period you are considering should be extremely simple. The bordure embattled and divided field are not appropriate for the period. A fox would be a fine charge, passant, salient or rampant. However, an even better choice would be a plain field-only device, with some sort of divided field (especially divided multiply).

Last, as to your mundane name. We aren't sure of the origin of the surname "Aydt." The best possibility is that it's from "Aythe," a German form of Agatha, but it may also be a respelling of the German surname "Eid," meaning oath. [5]

We hope this has been helpful. Arval d'Espas Nord, Rouland Carre and Talan Gwynek contributed the research for this letter.

For the Academy,

AElfwyn aet Gyrwum

[1] E.G. Withycombe, The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 3rd ed., Oxford University Press.

[2] Reaney & Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames, Oxford University Press, 1995.

[3] Forssner, Thorvald, Continental-Germanic Personal Names in England in Old and Middle English Times, K.W. Appelbergs Boktryckeri, Uppsala, 1916.

[4] This is not to imply that wealthy guildsmen necessarily were in existence. Although guilds were well established by this time in Italy and the Rhine, they were just coming into their power around the period you have chosen for your persona. The earliest reference to a crafts guild in England we could find was in a document written by Henry II around 1154-1162 granting rights to the weavers guild in London. David C. Douglas and George W. Greenaway, English Historical Documents 1042-1189, Oxford University Press, 1953. The document states that the rights granted are the same of those in the reign of Henry II's grandfather, placing the original grant sometime between 1100-1135. If your persona's father was an adult in 1066, then there could have been some incipient guild activity, but probably not any formal structure. The further you go into the 12th century, the more likely there is to be a guild, although the early English grants most frequently dealt with wools and hides and the processes of manufacturing and selling them. We were unable to find evidence of a silversmith, goldsmith or similar guild in England during the period you have chosen.

[5] Fransson, Gustav, Middle English Surnames of Occupation 1100-1350, Lund.

[5] Tengvik, G., Old English Bynames, Uppsala, 1938.