ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 808 http://www.s-gabriel.org/808 *********************************** ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Some of the Academy's early reports * * contain errors that we haven't yet * * corrected. Please use it with caution. * * * ************************************************* From: "S Friedemann" 22 Apr 1998 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked about the name , as a Scottish woman's name between 1100-1400. Here is the information we found. To begin, the name you asked about is part Gaelic and part Scots. This causes a problem, as the two do not mix. >From about 1100 to 1300 there were three main cultures in Scotland: Gaelic, Scots-speaking, and Scoto-Norman. Gaelic was a language spoken in Ireland and, in 1100, most parts of Scotland, but after that time the dominance of Gaelic language and culture in Scotland began to diminish. Scots was a language closely related to Middle English, which after 1100 began to increase in spread and importance. The Scoto-Normans were the result of Normans and Anglo-Normans who settled in Scotland in the 12th and 13th centuries marrying native Scottish heiresses. In the 14th century, Scoto-Norman culture had by and large merged with Scots-speaking culture, and Scots was spoken in most of the Lowlands, including the royal court and the towns, while Gaelic was spoken mainly in the Highlands. Scottish people in your period did not mix languages and spellings in names. A Gaelic culture name written in Gaelic would use only Gaelic elements and Gaelic spellings. A Scots-speaking culture name written in Scots would use only Scots elements and Scots spellings. When writing, though, medieval clerks would transform names and spellings to suit the language written. So a Gaelic culture name written in Latin or Scots would use Latin or Scots forms and spellings, which were often very different from how that name would have been spelled in its native Gaelic. is a Gaelic borrowing of the English name [1,2,], but it was not used until after your chosen period. We find used in a Gaelic context first in 1502 [3]. We found examples of in Scotland in the 13th century, but it appears to have been used only in Scoto-Norman families. So while we know that variations on were used in Scotland, we have no evidence that it was used in Gaelic until late in our period. isn't a Gaelic name. It is a 15th century Scots spelling of [3], which is an English/Scots form of Latin . While we didn't find the particular spelling used in your period, the name (and variants) was introduced to Scotland in the 12th century by the Anglo-Normans. It was adopted into Gaelic as , pronounced \OAN\ or \YOAN\ (rhymes with "moan"). Therefore, in a Gaelic setting in the 15th and 16th century, you could be , (Christina daughter of John), which is roughly pronounced \ka-ris-CHEE-na NEE-yen OAN\. However, in the period you asked about, 1100 to 1400, a person called or would probably have been Scoto-Norman or a Scots speaker, not a Gaelic speaker. An appropriate name for those cultures is , which would have been understood to mean "Cristina daughter of John." Since many records were written in Latin, that name could have been written or . Other variations in the spelling that we found are 1219, 1292, circa 1256, and 1261. A possible 16th century form is [3]. By this time, though, the surname would most likely have become an inherited surname, and would not indicate that your father's name was . or is a town in Fife, but you have to be careful how you use place names in your own name. In Gaelic, people did not use place names as bynames. However, if you were to choose a Scoto-Norman or Scots-speaking culture name such as or , your place of birth or residence could have been include. So your name could be written in Latin [3], or in Scots. Heraldry only appeared in the 12th century, and, until the 13th century, few people in Scotland had arms. Also, Highland heraldry differed quite a bit from Lowland heraldry. Even fewer people used arms in the Gaelic-speaking parts of Scotland, and those few who did often used designs that are foreign to the mainstream heraldic style of western Europe. We have an article in our library that we suggest that you read. What Do I Use for Arms if my Persona Wouldn't Have Used Arms? http://www.itd.umich.edu/~ximenez/s.gabriel/faq/nonheraldic.html You asked if we could help you with ideas for a coat of arms, not necessarily affiliated with the Campbell, MacQuarrie, and MacLeod coats. This leaves a rather wide range for us to work with. Do you have any particular designs elements that you had in mind, perhaps a tincture or a charge, or anything else that might give us a starting point? I hope that this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of this has been unclear, or if you have other questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by AElfwynn aet Gyrwum, Antonia Miguel Stantos de Borja, Arval Benicoeur, Effric neyn Kenyeoch vc Ralte, Lindorm Eriksson, Margaret Makafee, Talan Gwynek, Teceangl Bach, and Zenobia Naphtali. For the Academy, Aryanhwy Prytydes merch Catmael Caermyrdin Apr 22, 1998 ------------------------------------------------- References [1] Woulfe, Patrick, _Irish Names for Children_ (Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1974). [2] Morgan, Peadar, _Ainmean Chloinne: Scottish Gaelic Names for Children_ (Scotland: Taigh na Teud Music Publishers, 1989). [3] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986).