Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 764

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 764

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/764

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

Greetings,

Here's the information we found on the name "Magnus Urchardan," which you wanted to use as a Scottish name from between 1150-1300.

You didn't specify whether you wanted a Gaelic or a Scots name. Gaelic is spoken in Ireland. Scots is a language which is similar to English. In your period, Scots was spoken mainly in the south of Scotland and in the cities, although both Scots and Gaelic were widespread. Scots and Gaelic are very different languages, and so when you pick a name it needs to be either Scots or Gaelic.

"Magnus" is a Norse name which is found in areas occupied by the Danes and other Scandinavians. It was borrowed into Gaelic as "Maghnus," and is found in Scotland. (1) We didn't find any examples of "Magnus" in Scots, but it is found in northern England (2) and it's very likely that it was also used in Scotland. Thus, a form of "Magnus" could be used in either Gaelic or Scots.

"Urchardan" is the modern Gaelic equivalent for the modern Scots name "Urquhart." (3) As far as we can tell, it wasn't used until well after 1600. However, we did find a Scots form "de Urchard," which is dated to the mid-1300's. (3) We are fairly sure that it could have been used in your period.

Thus, "Magnus de Urchard" is an authentic Scots name for your period.

Arval Benicoeur, Talan Gwynek, and Steven Maynard contributed to this letter.

We hope this has been helpful, and that we can continue to assist you.

In service,
Alan Fairfax
Academy of S. Gabriel

(1) Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning

and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986).

(2) Fellows Jensen, Gillian, _Scandinavian Personal Names inp

Lincolnshire and Yorkshire_ (Copenhagen: 1968).

(3) Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning

and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986).