|
Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!
You asked for information about the name <Thain>. Here is what we have found.
We found the name <Robertus filius Thein> recorded in Norfolk in 1166. The same man's name was also written as <Robert Tein>. The first example means "Robert son of Thein". It might be evidence that <Thein> was used as a given name in 12th century England [1]. There was a similar Scandinavian name <{TH}einn> [5], and it is quite likely that this given name passed into common use in the parts of England ruled by the Danes. (The symbol {TH} represents the letter thorn, which is pronounced like the 'th' in <thing>.) While <Thein> is therefore a plausible given name for 12th century England, it does not appear to have survived past the 13th century. It is improbable that the name would have been spelled <Thain>. The common word <thane> did not appear in this spelling until the 16th century [6].
The literal use of the word <thein> (which meant a servant, attendant, military retainer, or soldier) led to its use as a descriptive byname. It is recorded in various spellings in names in England and the Scots-speaking parts of Scotland from the 12th century onward [2, 3]. (Scots was a language very closely related to English; it should not be confused with Gaelic, another language spoken in Scotland.)
Kyned thainus de Katel 1177
Geoffrey le {TH}ein 1199
Adam {Th}ein 1221
Lorne Theine de Ures 1222
William le Theyn 1243
William Theynus de Kintor 1253
We could not find <Westbram> as a period surname or place name, but we found a man called <AEilmer de Westbrom> recorded in Suffolk in 1095 [4]. The element <-brom> derives from the Old English <brom> "broom (the plant)". It also appears in <Suthbrome> 1227, <Suthbrum> 1231. When the same element is used at the beginning of a place name, it frequently becomes <Bram->. For example, <Bramford> 1205, <Bramle> 1219, <Brampton> 1275, and others [3]. We didn't find examples of <-bram> as the second element of a name, but it is not impossible. <Westbrom> or <Westbrome> is certainly a correct place name for your period; <Westbram> may also be correct.
Putting the pieces together, we have two suggestions for you. The name <Thein de Westbrom> is probably a typical name for the northern part of England in the 12th or 13th century. <Thein Westbrom> is less typical, but it is possible, especially toward the end of this period.
Alternatively, you could split your current name <Wilthain> into a given name <William> and a byname <Thein>, and use <Westbrom> as a locative byname (that is to say, a byname that identifies where you live). <William Thein de Westbrom> follows the same pattern as several of the names we listed above; it would be an excellent name for the 12th or 13th century anywhere in England or the Scots-speaking parts of Scotland. If you prefer, you could shorten <William> to <Wille>, which is recorded in England in 1207 and 1212 [3, s.n. Will].
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. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Talan Gwynek, Margaret Makafee, AElfwyn aet Gyrwum, Tangwystyl ferch Morgant Glasvryn, and Charles O'Connor.
For the Academy,
Arval Benicoeur
References
[1] It is also possible that <Thein> was used here as a title, and that
Robert was the son of a thane. A thane was a man-at-arms sworn to his overlord, quite similar to a knight.
[2] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and
History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986).
[3] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_
(London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995).
[4] Ekwall, Eilert, _The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names_,
4th edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991).
[5] Clark, Cecily, "Early Personal Names of King's Lynn: Baptismal Names",
in Cecily Clark, _Words, Names and History: Selected Papers_, ed. Peter Jackson (Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 1995).
[6] _The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary_ (New York:
Oxford University Press, 1973).