ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 992 http://www.s-gabriel.org/992 *********************************** ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Some of the Academy's early reports * * contain errors that we haven't yet * * corrected. Please use it with caution. * * * ************************************************* 26 May 1998 From: (Josh Mittleman) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for information about the name , which you want to use as a 12th century Scottish name. Here is what we have found. Every element of your name is perfectly authentic for your period in Annandale. The Johnstone family of Annandale was founded about 1174 by a man named who named his son [1]. However, the construction and spelling of your name are probably not appropriate for your period. True family names weren't in use in 12th century Scotland; surnames were literally descriptive. Any form of would have been understood to mean "from John's settlement", and it is unlikely that anyone would have been described as being from two places, Johnston and Annandale. The Gilbert who I just mentioned is named in several documents between 1195-1215 as , , and simply as "Gilbert, son of John". Documents in this period were written in Latin, and names were partially Latinized. In everyday speech, this man was probably called or [1]. In other circumstances, he might have been identified as being from Annandale (perhaps , using a spelling of that place name that is recorded in 1249 [1]), but people would have used one _or_ the other place name, not both. 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 Margaret Makafee, Aryanhwy verch Catmael, and Zenobia Naphtali. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 26 May 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986), s.nn. Johnstone, Johnson, Annan. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -