Women's Names in the First Half of 16th Century Wales: Elements Appearing in Women's Surnames
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Women's Names in the First Half of 16th Century Wales

Elements Appearing in Women's Surnames

by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn
(Heather Rose Jones, contact@heatherrosejones.com)
copyright c 1998, all rights reserved



Elements Appearing in Women's Surnames

I have not spent a great deal of time tracing down standard forms and origins of the non-Welsh surnames. While I give statistics for how often each element appears in my data, these should be taken as only a rough sketch of overall naming practices for the period, particularly as regards the masculine given names appearing in patronyms.

Masculine Given Names Appearing in Patronyms

Name In explicit patronyms In unmarked patronyms In s/p patronyms
 
Belyn Pella
Clement Clemettes
Conws Conuz
Dafydd David (13) David, Davy
Ednyfed Eden
Edward Edward (3)
Ellis ellys (2), Elyce
Einion Enyon
Giles Gyle
Gruffudd Griffeth, Griffith (3), Gruffith (2), Ryffythe Griffeth, Gryffyth (2)
Gwyn Gwyn
Harvey Harvey
Henry Henry Harreys, Hawkyns
Hywel Hoell (4), Howell (7) Hoell, Howell (3) Powell
Hugh Hugh Hewes
Iorwerth Yollen Yorath
Ithel Ethell, Ythel
John Ieuan (13), Yevan (2), John (9) Evan, Ieuan (2), Jenkyn, John (2) Johans, Johnez, Johns (2)
James James (2) James
Lewis Lewis (3), Lewys Lewes, Lewis, Lewys
Llywelyn Llewellyn, Llewelyn (2), Lewelyn Fleuellen
Madog Madocke
Maredudd Bedo, meredethe, Meredith (3) Meredith, Meredyth
Matthew Vathew Mathew (2)
Meurig Meroke, Mores, Moryce, Morys Meryke (2)
Morgan Morgan (3) Morgan
Owein Owen Owen
Philip Philip Philpe
Ranold Ranold
Rhys Rees (3), Res (4), Rice, Rise, Ryce Rese, Rice (2)
Richard Richard (5)
Robert Robert Robertes
Roger Rosser (3) Rogers
Stephen Stevyn
Tudur Tedder
Thomas Thomas (7)
Twna Tona (3)
Walter Walter Walter (2), Watkyne Watkynes, Watkyns (2)
William William (4) William, Wyllyam
 
Unknown Varragh, Ydeyde, Ywollyn

Note several examples in which the name has lenited following ferch as grammar would expect (Ryffythe, Vathew, Varragh), although there are many more examples where the expected lenition does not occur.

Occupational Bynames

Barber Barbar
Brewer Bruer
Butler Butler (2)
Carver Karver
Catchmaid? Catchmayde
Dyer Dyer
Flemming Flemmyng
Harper Harper
Meddyg Vethike (in patronym)
Prioress prioress of Uske
Spencer Spencer
Tyler Tyler (in patronym)
Walker Walker

Only one of the occupational bynames is in Welsh, and that one appears in a patronym (and lenites, as expected).

Descriptive Bynames

Bach pagh (in patronym)
Brown Browne
Bychan Igham, Vaughan
Coch Coz (in patronym), Gough (in patronym)
Llwyd Lloid (2), Lloyd (2), Lloyde (in patronym)
Lleiaf Lyea (2)
Peacock   Peucoke

By contrast, the majority of the descriptive bynames are of Welsh origin.

Locatives

Brereton B(r)ereton
Billington Billington, Bylington
Broughton Broughton
Conwy Conway
Elton Elton
Kynaston Kynaston
Markham Markham
Plumton Plumton
Poole Poole
Powys Powes
Pykton Pykton
Salisbury Salisbury, Salysbury
Schorley Schoreley

I have not attempted to trace these down. Only two of the names are Welsh linguistically (Conwy, Powys), although others may be located in Wales.

Non-Welsh Surnames

As with the locatives, I have not attempted to find further information on these.

Almer
Bayley
Blake
Blees
Braye
Carne (2)
Chambre
Cornell
Coyll
Crookes
Daubeney (countess of Bridgwater)
Dawn, Don
Dunne
Erwe
Garway
Gordon
Hanmer (2), Hanmar
Hewar
Hoper
How
Hyde
Kayns
Mutton
Payne
Peak
Sanders
Sutton
Talturn
Tarlecun
Wrenche

Patronymic Markers

A number of women's surnames contain ap (son), for reasons discussed below. Far more common are those with some form of ferch (daughter). The spellings found in this data are:

vaurgh
ver.
verch (83)
Verch
verge
vergh (10)
Vergh
Ver- (prefixed to given name)