Articles > NamesFeminine names from Devon, 1238
by Sara L. Uckelman
known in the SCA as Aryanhwy merch Catmael
© 2004, 2009Sara L. Uckelman; all rights reserved
last updated 14Sep09
Introduction
The following list of feminine names is from Summerson, Henry, ed., Crown pleas of the Devon Eyre of 1238. While this source modernized some of the given names from the original Latin, the bynames have been retained in their original spellings. Because the given names have been either been modernized or have been left in their original Latin forms, we cannot be 100% sure what the actual spoken form of the name was at the time of writing. However, this does give us evidence that these names were in use, and possible vernacular (spoken) forms can be found in Talan Gwynek, "Feminine Given Names in A Dictionary of English Surnames" (SCA: KWHS Proceedings, 1994; WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1997).
I have listed the given name by frequency, and then the surnames alphabetically, and then an alphabetical list of names as they are found in the source.
Given names
Name | Number | Notes |
Alice | 25 |
Matilda | 15 |
Agnes | 11 |
Emma | 8 |
Gunilda/Gunilde/Gunnilda | 7 |
Margery | 7 |
Wimar/Wimarc/Wymarc/Wymarcha | 7 |
Sara/Sarah | 6 |
Amice/Amicia | 5 |
Avice/Avicia | 5 |
Beatrice | 5 |
Christiana/Christina/Cristiana/Cristina | 5 | These technically represent two names, C(h)ristin(a) (from OE cristen 'Christian') and C(h)ristian(a) (from Latin christiana 'Christian'). However, by the 13th C the two names were often used interchangeably. |
Denise | 5 |
Joan | 5 |
Cecilia/Cecily | 4 |
Gillian | 4 |
Isabel/Isabella | 4 |
Clarica/Clarice/Claricia | 3 |
Emelota | 3 |
Eva | 3 |
Helen | 3 |
Mabel | 3 |
Margaret | 3 |
Sibyl/Sybil | 3 |
Alina | 2 |
Constance/Custance | 2 |
Edelota | 2 | One of these may be the Edelote of Coldecote mentioned in a deed from 1311, available here |
Edith | 2 |
Julian/Juliana | 2 |
Katherine | 2 |
Maisenta | 2 |
Scolastica | 2 |
Seilda | 2 |
Agatha | 1 |
Albreda | 1 |
Ascelina | 1 |
Ascelota | 1 |
Auwenilda | 1 |
Cenota | 1 |
Clementia | 1 |
Eda | 1 |
Edelina | 1 |
Elena | 1 |
Eustachia | 1 |
Gillota | 1 |
Goda | 1 |
Gundreda | 1 |
Heloise | 1 |
Hodierna | 1 |
Idonea | 1 |
Imeina | 1 |
Isolda | 1 |
Mariota | 1 |
Olive | 1 |
Oresia | 1 |
Osanna | 1 |
Pelagia | 1 |
Petronilla | 1 |
Philippa | 1 |
Roesia | 1 |
Rosamund | 1 |
Rose | 1 |
Sabina | 1 |
Susan | 1 |
Swanekil/Swanekilda | 1 | I have been unable to identify this name and so do not know for sure that it is feminine, but given the terminal <-a> it likely is. It may also be a misreading of Swanehil(da). |
Theophania | 1 |
Bynames
A note on abbreviations used:
Loc. | = locative |
Occ. | = occupational |
Top. | = toponymic |
Name | Number | Notes |
no byname | 149 |
Anven | 1 |
Claper | 1 | Like <Ingram Clapere> 1267 (R&W s.n. Clapper), this "may be an early example [of top. 'dweller by the clapper bridge'] with loss of the preposition, or a nickname from ME clappe 'chatter'." |
Coffin | 1 | A nickname from Old French cofin, coffin 'basket'. |
de Affert | 1 |
de Bidennebotine | 1 |
de Briuwere/de la Briuwere | 1 | Top. from Old French bruière 'heath'. |
de Brixtone | 1 | Loc. from Brixton (Devon). |
de Bulebec | 1 | Loc. from Bolbec (Seine-Inférieure). |
de Cadigdene | 1 |
de Callewdele | 1 |
de Caneleswrthi | 1 |
de Chevelstone | 1 | Loc. from Chivelstone (Devon). |
de Coleghe | 1 | Loc. perhaps from Cowley (Exeter). |
de Cornewde | 1 | Loc. from Cornwood (Devon) |
de Cuddemore | 1 | Loc. from Cudmore Fm in Bampton (Devon). |
de Culitone | 1 | Loc. from Colyton (Devon). |
de Curtenay | 1 | Loc. from Courtenay (Loiret, Isère). |
de Ebforde | 1 | Loc. from Efford (Devon, Cornwall). |
de Ferleghe | 1 |
de Fortibus | 1 | Loc. from Fors (Deux-Sèvres, Poitou) |
de Gatesdene | 1 | Loc. from Great, Little Gaddesden (Hertfordshire). |
de Grendone | 1 | Loc. from Grendon (various locations). |
de Hiddestone | 1 |
de Hokesham | 1 | Loc. from Huxham (Devon). |
de Holecumbe | 1 | Loc. from Holcombe or Hollacombe (Devon). |
de Howintone | 1 |
de Hundehille | 1 |
de Karmetone | 1 |
de la Cumbe | 1 | Top. from OE cumb 'valley'. |
de la Fenne | 1 | Top. from OE fenn 'marsh, fenn'. |
de la Ya | 1 |
de Legh | 1 | Loc. from one of the many places called Lea, Lee, Leigh, Leighs, or Leygh. |
de Leiham | 1 |
de Liddetone | 1 |
de Mandeville | 1 | Loc. from Magneville (La Manche). |
de Matecumbe | 1 |
de Middelcote | 1 | Loc. from Middlecoat (Devon). |
de Monte Acuto | 1 | Loc. from Montaigu-le-bois or Montaigu (La Manche). |
de More | 2 | Loc. from Moore (Ches) or More (Salop) or top. from OE mōr 'moor, marsh, fen'. |
de Mortest | 1 |
de Moun | 1 |
de Nottesdone | 1 |
de Parva Toritone | 1 | Loc. from Little Torrington (Devon). |
de Peggenesse | 1 |
de Punchardun | 1 |
de Sakiatone | 1 |
de Swarteberge | 1 |
de Swetlache | 1 |
de Totnes | 1 | Loc. from Totnes (Devon). |
de Traci | 1 | Loc. originally from Tracy-Bocage or Tracy-sur-Mer (Calvados). |
de Tudeham | 1 | Possibly loc. from Tuddenham (Norfolk). |
de Westone | 1 | Loc. from Weston (various). |
de Witheleghe | 1 | Loc. from Whiteley (Devon). |
Gule | 1 |
Pigoc | 1 |
Ruche | 1 |
Complete list of women's names
The numbers following the name are the numbers of the entries which the name is found, except for numbers preceded by 'p.', which are page numbers.
Agatha - 419
Agnes - 291
Agnes - 310
Agnes - 505
Agnes - 572
Agnes - 590
Agnes - 613
Agnes de Holecumbe - 259
Agnes de Sakiatone - 412
Agnes de Swetlache - 490
Ailot de Swarteberge - 702 [I'm not positive this is a feminine name]
Albreda - p.5, 124
Alice - 15
Alice - 155
Alice - 16
Alice - 178
Alice - 229
Alice - 521
Alice - 535
Alice - 555
Alice - 560
Alice - 579
Alice - 614
Alice - 64, 68
Alice - 644
Alice - 650
Alice - 699
Alice - 765
Alice - p. 126
Alice Coffin - 44
Alice de Callewdele - 132, 133
Alice de Culitone - 62
Alice de Hundehille - 129
Alice de Mortest - 118
Alice de Moun - pp. 1,2; 4, 13, 27, 28, 224, 709
Alice de Peggenesse - 483
Alice de Punchardun - 665
Alina - 585
Alina de la Ya - 587
Amice - 184
Amice - 241
Amice de Cadigdene (alias Agatha de Gatesdene) - 636, 639
Amicia - 532
Agnes Pigoc - 746
Ascelina - 461
Ascelota - 58
Auwenilda - 381
Avice - 186
Avice - 227
Avice - 606
Avice - 744
Avicia - 512
Beatrice - 140
Beatrice - 330 753, 755
Beatrice - 649
Beatrice - 729
Camekinna - 213
Cecilia - 536
Cecilia - 663
Cecilia - 9
Cecily - 300
Cenota - 519
Christiana (alias Christina) - 626
Clarica (alias Claricia) - 136
Clarica de Witheleghe - p. 127
Clarice - 633
Clementia - 708
Constance - 410
Cristiana (alias Christina) - 40
Cristiana de Middelcote - 258
Cristina de Matecumbe - 83
Cristina de la Fenne - 154
Custance - 300
Denise - 164
Denise - 282
Denise - 707
Denise de Bidennebotine - 163
Denise de Caneleswrthi - 107
Eda de Cuddemore - 148
Edelina - 550
Edelota - 755
Edelota Anven - 558
Edith - 387
Edith - 728
Elena - 81
Emelota - 319
Emelota - 34
Emelota - 614
Emma - 171
Emma - 29
Emma - 433
Emma - 715
Emma Gule - 332
Emma de Hokesham - 218
Emma de Karmetone - 369, 389
Emma - 385
Eustachia de Curtenay - 722
Eva - 317
Eva - 599, 603
Eva de Traci - 719
Gillian - 413
Gillian - 474
Gillian - 555
Gillian - 93
Gillota - 448
Goda - 140
Gundreda de Tudeham - 473, 475
Gunilda - 364
Gunilda - 660
Gunilda - 711
Gunilda - 92
Gunilda de Legh - 590
Gunilde de More - 250
Gunnilda de Howintone - 310
Helen - 120
Helen - 549
Helen - 665
Heloise - 277
Hodierna de Brixtone - 537
Idonea - 763
Imeina - 474
Isabel de Bulebec - 176, 709
Isabel de Westone - 525
Isabella - 763
Isabella de Fortibus - 532
Isolda - 567
Joan - 125
Joan - 372
Joan - 68
Joan de Mandeville - 604
Julian de Ferleghe - 187
Juliana - 160
Katherine - 178
Katherine de Monte Acuto - 221
Lady Joan de Briuwere/de la Briuwere - 37, 270
Mabel - 397
Mabel - 97
Mabel de More - 172
Maisenta - 239
Maisenta de Parva Toritone - 450
Margery - 377
Margaret - 292
Margaret - 708
Margaret de Affert - 221
Margery - 115
Margery - 622
Margery - 631
Margery de Liddetone - 651
Margery de la Cumbe - 546
Margery the weaver - 531 (in the same entry her name is given as Beatrice)
Mariota - 502
Matilda - 146
Matilda - 18
Matilda - 230
Matilda - 233
Matilda - 254
Matilda - 362
Matilda - 388
Matilda - 513
Matilda - 519
Matilda - 581
Matilda - 634
Matilda Claper - 448
Matilda Ruche - 140
Matilda de Hiddestone - 529
Matilda de Nottesdone - 193
Olive - 168
Oresia - 595
Osanna - 203
Pelagia - 606
Petronilla - 327
Philippa - 68
Roesia - 44
Rosamund - 442
Rose - 133
Sabina - 762
Sara - 174
Sara - 242
Sara de Grendone - 285
Sara de Totnes - 574
Sarah - 438
Sarah de Coleghe - 505
Scolastica - 348
Scolastica - 465
Seilda - 244
Seilda de Cornewde - 663
Sibyl - 477
Sibyl de Ebforde - 524
Susan - p. 125
Swanekil/Swanekilda - 574, 575 [I'm not positive this is a feminine name.]
Sybil - 257
Theophania - 329, 754, 756
Wimar (alias Wimarc) - 134
Wimarc - 405
Wimarc - 658
Wymarc - 632
Wymarc de Chevelstone - 190
Wymarc de Leiham - 465
Wymarcha - 38
References
- Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 4th edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991).
- Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995).
- Summerson, Henry, ed., Crown pleas of the Devon Eyre of 1238 (Torquay, England : printed for the Society by The Devonshire Press, 1985).
The original article can be found at: http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/english/devonfem1238.html
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