Names from 13th Century Latin Charters of Aleid of Holland

©2013 Alissa Pyrich. All rights reserved.
Last updated: June 3, 2013

Introduction

Adelaide or Aleid was the daughter of Floris IV, count of Holland and Mathilde of Brabant. She married John of Avesnes, count of Hainaut, in 1246. Multiple letters and charters from Countess Aleid are published on Epistolæ (http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/), a website maintained by Columbia University collecting writings to and from women in the Middle Ages. The letters are transcribed in the original Latin with translations by Professor Joan Ferrante of Columbia University.

The name data in this article are extracted from the Latin charters issued by Countess Aleid between 1258 and 1277. Since the names are in Latin, their spelling varies depending on the form and tense. The nominative form and genitive forms - the most useful ones for creating names - are specifically identified where they are identifiable. However, the Latin of these charters is idiosyncratic and the form of the names is not always clearly identifiable.

Given names are sorted under their modern equivalent (in bold); the forms appearing in the text are below the header. The raw naming data is set out at the end of the article.

Name Forms

The most common naming pattern found in the data is [given name] + de + [place name]. A few instances of [given name] + filius + [father's name in the genitive form] are recorded.

There are three instances of [given name] + dicti + [given name]. Since all three of these names are in the genitive form in the original context, the nominative form of the names would be [given name] dictus [given name]:

There are only two instances of unmarked surnames in the data. In both instances, the pattern was [given name] + [surname].

Women's Names

Only four women are identified in the data. Aleid herself enjoys a variety of styles: she is identified by a locative byname, Aleydi de Haynonia; as the wife of her deceased husband, Aelidis quondam uxor domini Iohannis de Auesnis; or as the defender of Holland and Zeeland, Aleidis tutrix Hollandie et Zelandie. The latter two forms are often used in combination.

As for the other women, one woman has no byname at all. One woman (other than Aleid) is identified by her title. The fourth woman has a locative byname: Berta domicella de Putte. Domicella here is a title or description, not a surname.

Name Elements

• Given Names
  • Masculine
  • Feminine
• Saints' Names
• Surnames
• Household Name
• Place Names
• Raw Data

Aleydis uxor quondam domini Iohannis de Avesnis, Hollandiae et Zelandiae
Aelidis quondam uxor domini Iohannis de Auesnis, Hollandie et Zelandie tutrix
Aleidis uxor quondam domini Iohannis de Auesnes, Hollandie et Zelandie tutrix
Aleidis domina de Haynonia, tutrix Hollandie et Zelandie
Aleidis tutrix Hollandie et Zelandie
Aleydis de Hanonia tutrix Hollandie
Aleydis Hollandiae et Zelandiae tutrix
Aleydi de Haynonia
Alaydi
Aleydis
Adalberts de Hecmunde
Arnoldi dicti Geir
Balduinus de Briggedamme
Berta domicella de Putte
Biggo de Coudewerue
Bliec de Stauennesse
Deinodi Curthals
Deinodi de Noua Terra
Egidius de Arnemude
Egidius de Koudekerke
Florencius comes Hollandie
Florentii comitis Hollandie
Florentii filii nostri
Florentius eiusdem filius
Florencio nepote nostro
Florentii
Florentio
Florentius
Godefridus de Cruninghe
Heinrici dicti Wissen
Henricus de Vorne
Henricus Dei gratia Traiactensis
Hugo de Nortghe
Iacobus eius frater
Iohannes Persin
Iohannis de Auenis
Iohannis de Auennis
Iohannis de Avesnis
Ihoannis de Auennis
Maghteldis comitissa Hollandie
Nicholaus de Bersalia
Nycolay de Putte
Paulus de Brigghedamme
Petro de Barsalia
Petronilla
Petrus et Balduinus fratres de Subburg
Symon de Harlem
Symone, milite, de Subburg
Theoderici dicti Bokel
Theoderico, milite, domino de Teylinge
Theodericus dominus de Teylinghe
Vanins filii predicti Deinoidi
Wilhelmus de Steynhuys
Willelrnusm de Brederode
Wulfardus