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Dutch Womens' Names before 1100
by Walraven van Nijmege (Brian R. Speer)
to the Eykenbosch Library
The following list of women's names recorded prior to 1100 in the Low Countries (which are today Belgium and the Netherlands) was compiled primarily from two sources: C. Tavernier-Vereecken. Gentse Naamkunde van ca. 1000 tot 1253, 1968, Belgium. and O. Leys. Vlaamse Vrouwennamen, 1958, Leuven & Brussel. Full details of these publications may be found in the bibliography. A third source provided a few additional names: K. Roelandts. Nederlandse Familienamen in Historisch Perspectief, 1951, Leuven & Brussel.
Entries have been coded according to source information, the default being that the entry is an 11th century name from Tavernier-Vereecken. When these entries are from an earlier date, the century of their use is indicated. Entries with a two-letter code come either from K. Roelandts (KR) or from O. Leys (OL). No entries from Leys are dated. The symbol (?) indicates that Tavernier-Vereecken has not indicated the gender of an entry, but that I have included it here because it appears to be a feminine form. The symbol ("?") is used when T-V indicates uncertainty about the gender of the name in the text.
The list is arranged alphabetically, though for indexing, PH is listed under F, and UU under W. Variants are generally listed under a simpler form of the name, and this will occasionally violate the alphabetizing. The list was put in this order to complement T.-V. and Leys, since they organize their names by roots.
The combination of the two large lists yielded surprisingly few identical names, though there were a number of similar variants, and the elements and general structure of names were the same. It is not clear whether this is the result of cultural differences between the northern (T.-V.) and southern (Leys) regions, or whether because of the small numbers of recorded women's names. Only seventeen names appear on both lists:
Adala, Amalberga, Danburga, Enna, Ermecin, Ermengardis, Geila, Hildegard, Hildegardis, Ida, Imma, Lietgardis, Mathildis, Reingard, Richildis, Rodgarda, TietzaA great many of the names in this list are composed of a protheme (first part) and a deuterotheme (second part), and these appear to have been used in almost every combination. Prothemes of course are listed together alphabetically, and so may be studied easily. The more common deuterothemes are: -berg, -burg (-burch), -gard, -hild, -lind, -rad, -swind, -trud, and -wara. These have variant spellings, and usually have an -a or -is appended to them; these are Latin feminine endings, and may reflect scribal convention rather than usage in the spoken language.
Caution should be taken with this list. A few names may imply relationship, such as those ending in -wif. A few names were also omitted, such as Elftrudis, which appears to be the name of Alfred the Great's daughter, and not a native Lowlander. Latin genitive and accusative endings from recorded forms have been normalized to nominitive endings; my thanks to Talan Gwynek for his assistance with this.
A final point: Since there really was neither a distinct Dutch language nor a Dutch culture until beginning around 1100, the title of this list is a bit of a misnomer. Also, none of the names below will look like Dutch, they are more like Frankish. Though these are all names of women, many will not sound feminine to the modern English speaker.
Names from non-Germanic Roots
Agatha OL Amabilia Auriana OL Benedicta 10 KR,OL Cilia Flouerana OL Geneva Iolitha OL Mauriana OL Murina OL Odriana OL Susanna OL
Names from Germanic Roots
Ada 9,11 Adda Adala Adela Addela OL Adhela OL Athela OL Adalberta OL Adalind OL Adalindis OL Adalmut "?" Adalrada OL Adaltrutis Adeltrudis OL Adaluuidis OL Adalwif Adelaidis OL Adwala "?" Aebbe 7-8 Agentrudis OL Agglethrudis Albelenda OL Alburg Alburch Albruga Aldguda 9 OL Aldgudana OL Aldruth "?" Alfgarda OL Alfild Alflent Amalberga 10-11 Amalbirga OL Amulberga OL Amoltrud OL Anselda Anstruda OL Ava Aua OL Avacyn Auacyn OL Avekin "?" Auekin OL Avin Auin OL Auina OL Balthildis OL Baltelda OL Balthechildis OL Bava Bavacin "?" Bavin "?" Bauin OL Belegardis Berehta OL Bergard Bergundis OL Beriungis OL Berna Bernewif Bernewief 10 Berta Berhta OL Bertaida Berthlenda OL Bertildis Berthildis OL Bertliana OL Bertrada OL Bertruda OL Bertswinda Bettin ? Blitekin Boltiarda Bova 10 Boviardis Childebertana OL Clodauuiua OL Clotrada OL Crapahildis Cunegundis Conegundis Conegont Conegunt OL Dadin Dagarada OL Danburga 10 Doda Dodda Duda Ebertana OL Edeberga OL Edeborg OL Ega OL Egecin OL Egesburga OL Egesloga OL Ehgelhild OL E(h)geluuara OL Emecin OL Engelgard OL Engelsuit OL Engelwara Engeluuara OL Ingelwara Ingeluuara OL Enna Eremburgis 10 Herenborg Ereprad OL Erkembrog OL Erkenbrog OL Erchembrog OL Erkenburoc OL Erkenrad OL Ermecin Ermengarda Ermengardis Ermegardis Hermengarda OL Irmengard OL Ermeswindis Ermina OL Erpsuid OL Errictruda OL Ethelchif Ethelgard Ethelgarda OL Euerloga OL Everelda Evereldis Pharahildis OL Folclind OL Folclinda OL |
Folcrada OL Folcuuara OL Folgarda OL Folsuindis Folsuuendis OL Fordola OL Fortlifh OL Frauuara OL Fredeburgis OL Frederada Fredeuuara OL Frethegard Frethesuindis Frethesuinda Fridesuenda OL Fridewiga Frisburgis Frithelinda OL Geila Gelduuara OL Gerberga OL Geretrudis Gertruda OL Gerlinda Gerlent OL Gersenda Gersuenda Gersuinda OL Geruuara OL Geva Geua OL Glismodis Gisla OL Godalinda OL Godelinda OL Godeca OL Godecin OL Godildis Godelda OL Guodhelda OL Goduuara OL Gothuuera OL Grimuuara OL Gundrada Guodlia OL Hadaken OL Harwara Hazeca OL Heilewif Heilswinda Heleuuidis OL Helinda OL Heltrada OL Heletradana OL Hengelsenda OL Herdin Herden Herenfrida OL Herlinda OL Hildberta OL Hildborg OL Hildeburg OL Heldeburga OL Hildeberga OL Hildegard Hildegardis Hildcardis OL Hildelana OL Hildemunda OL Hildeswindis Hildewif Hildeuuif OL Hildrada Hildwara Hildewara Hildeuuara OL Hiltrude OL Hostaruuara OL Ida Idasgarda OL Ideslef Ideswif Idesuuif OL Idisiardis OL Imma Imicina OL Ingela Ingelswindis Iodberta OL Irmenhild OL Irmenlind OL Hirmenlind OL Isa OL Isburch OL Landburuga OL Landgarda OL Landrada Lanthildis Lantuuara OL Lebdrudis OL Leddinga Leuekin OL Leuuich OL Liaueld OL Lidiardis OL Liefhun OL Lieftet "?" Lietgarda Lietgardis Litgardis OL Litiardis Lietuuif OL Lieuuara OL Lifgarda OL Liodburga OL Litburh OL Liodgard OL Liodrada OL Liedrada OL Madelrada OL Madhalberta OL Magtildis Magthildis OL Mathildis Machtildis OL Markuuara OL Megenberta OL Megendrod OL Megenhelda OL Meinnelda 10 Megenlind OL Megenlioba OL Megensind OL Megensinda OL Meinsent OL |
Megenuuara OL Meinburg Menborch 10 Meinswindis Methdin OL Nidlebis OL Nordrada Oda Odburga Odela Odgiva Otgiva Odguda 9 ? OL Odgudana OL Odlenda OL Olburgis OL Olga OL Osgarda OL Osgiua OL Otgiua OL Otberta OL Oydela OL Radburgis Radborg OL Radburg OL Radeken OL Radgert OL Radlia OL Radsuinda OL Ramburga OL Regana OL Regenburuga OL Renburgis OL Regenelda OL Rainilda OL Rainildis OL Regenlind OL Regenset OL Reginsuint OL Reinsuent OL Regneuuig OL Reinewif Rennewief Reingard Reingardis Reingart Reingaud 10 ? KR Reingod 10 ? KR Riberta OL Richildis Richelda OL Rikildis Riclindis Ricsuinda OL Rinilda Rinelt Rodburga Rotburga Rodgarda 10 Rodgardae OL Hruodgarda OL Rofsind OL Rothin Rotlenda Hruotberta OL Sigarda Syardis Sigberta OL Sigeberta OL Sigeburgis Sigiburgis OL Siborch Siburg Seburg OL Seburga Sigethrod OL Snelburch OL Stenburch Stilleuuara OL Strilleburg OL Suitburgis Thancuuara OL Thedela Thidela Thieda OL Thietgarda OL Thietwara Theaduuara OL Thiutuuara OL Thietuuich OL Thiodsind OL Teudsindis OL Thiodsuinda OL Thrasborg OL Thrudberga OL Trhutborgana OL Ticekin ? Tietlenda OL Tietza Trudlinde OL Trutilda Uda OL Uoldolberta OL Vrowecin Frouuin OL Frouuina OL Vualdberta OL Vualdedruda OL Vualdetruda OL UUaldethruda OL Vuifken OL Vuiuechin OL Vuinetberta OL UUaldburg OL Wavin UUeremund OL UUerenburoc OL UUiburgis OL Wiburgis Wihted Wilberga Wilgeva Willelda Willesuindis UUindborog OL UUinebarga OL UUireda OL Wivecin ? Wivin Wlb(er)gis OL Wlfildis OL UUlgarda OL Wlgert |
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