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Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Articles > NamesA Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Namesby Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn
The information in this guide is taken from a tax roll called The Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll of 1292-3.
The
names are those of Welsh people living in north-western Wales, in an
area
that had experienced relatively little influx of English people at that
point. The tax roll was written by people familiar with English and
Latin,
but not necessarily with Welsh, so names do not necessarily appear in
"classic" Welsh spellings. For reference, I have provided the "standard"
form of name elements in square brackets.
|
[Madog] | Madoc, Madok | [William] | Wilim, Gwilim |
[David] | David, Deykin | [Griffri] | Griffri, Griffry, Gryffri, Gryffry |
[Einion] | Eynon | [Ednowain] | Edenowen, Edenewen, Edeneweyn |
[Iorwerth] | Iarward, Iarword, Ioreword | [Moriddig] | Moridic, Morydic |
[Adam] | Adaf, Ada, Adam | [Cydifor] | Kedivor |
[Ieuan] | Ieuan | [Iago] | Yagov, Yago, Iago, Iagov |
[Gronw] | Gronou, Groneu | [Iocyn] | Iockin, Iockyn |
[Ithel] | Ithel | [John] | Iohannes |
[Gwyn] | Win, Wyn, Gwin, Gwyn | [Rhys] | Reys, Reis, Res |
[Cynwrig] | Kenuric, Kenneric | [Bleddyn] | Blethin, Blethint |
[Cadwgan] | Cadugan | [Cyfnerth] | Kevenard |
[Philip] | Phelip | [Maredudd] | Mereduth |
[Rhiryd] | Ririd, Ryryd, Rerid, Ryrid | [Thomas] | Thomas |
[Gruffydd] | Griffid, Gryffid, Gryffyd | [Ieuaf] | Ieuaf |
[Tegwared] | Tegwaret | [Ifor] | Ivor |
[Meilyr] | Meiler, Meyler | [Morfran] | Morvran |
[Ednyfed] | Edenevet | [Seisyll] | Seysild |
[Gwrgenau] | Gurgenu, Gurgeneu | [Deheuwynt] | Dehewint |
[Llywelyn] | Lewelin, Lewelyn | [Gwasdewi] | Wasdewy |
[Gwion] | Wion, Wyon, Gwion, Gwyon | [Llygad] | Leget |
[Hywel] | Howel | [Robert] | Robert |
[Tuder] | Tuder | [Hwfa] | Hova |
[Heilyn] | Heylin, Heilin, Heylyn | [Ynyr] | Ener |
[Cynddelw] | Candalo, Candalou | [Trahaearn] | Trahaern |
[Madyn] | Madin, Madyn | [Gwogan] | Gogan |
[Meurig] | Meuric, Meurik, Meuryk | [Idnerth] | Idnerth, Idenerth |
[Llywarch] | Lowarch |
[Angharad] | Angharat | [Myfanwy] | Mevanou |
[Gwenllian] | Wentlian, Wentlyan, Wentliana, Wentlyana | [Erdudfyl] | Eduduwel, Erdiduwol |
[Gwladus] | Wladus, Wladusa | [Gwerydd] | Gwerith |
[Dyddgu] | Tudgech, Dudgech, Dugech | [Madrun] | Maderun |
[Lleucu] | Lewke, Leweke, Leuke | [Margaret] | Margareta, Marured |
[Eve] | Eva | [Perweur] | Perweur |
[Tangwystl] | Tangwistel | [Alice] | Alicia |
[Generys] | Generys, Generis | [Genilles] | Genithles |
[Gwerfyl] | Wervel, Wervill, Wervela, Wervilla | [Geneth] | Enith (or this may be a form of Enid) |
[Morfudd] | Morud, Morwid, Morwith | [Gwir] | Wir |
[Nest] | Nest | [Helen] | Elena |
[Hunydd] | Hunith | [Iwerydd] | Ewerich |
[Gwen] | Wen, Gwen | [Mabel] | Mabilia |
[Gwledyr] | Wledyr, Wledir, Wladur | [Mary] | Mary |
[Morfyl] | Morvel | [Millicent] | Milisandia |
Women have an additional type of popular byname -- being identified as the wife of their husband (using Latin uxor in this document) -- which is similar in concept to a patronym. Women are also far less likely to have an occupational nickname or one based on a place-name. However for the most part women use the same descriptive nicknames that men do (with the notable absense of moel meaning bald!).
Actual examples of names of each pattern are provided from the original documents.
<given name> <relationship word> <relative's given name>
The typical relationship given is to a father (or husband). The mother's name is used very rarely (less than 1% of the time).
The typical relationship words are as follow:
E.g. | Eynon ap Madoc | ||
Groneu ab Eynon | |||
Madoc filius Ithel |
E.g. | Generys filia Ioreword |
E.g. | Eva uxor Ithel | ||
Wladosa uxor Phelipi |
Important Grammatical Note: For grammatical reasons, the initial sound of the nickname may be different from that of the "normal" form of the word. This is called mutation. Men will usually, but not always, use the mutated form of the word. Women will always use the mutated form of a nickname, and where I have no examples of this, I have supplied what it would be (marked with an asterisk). If only one form of the name is given, it is what would be used by both men and women.
[Du] | black | Duy |
[Coch] | red | Goch |
[Moel] | bald | Voyl, Voil |
[Bychan] | small, junior | Vachan |
[Llwyd] | gray | Loyt |
[Chwith] | left-handed, clumsy | With, Whith, Wyth |
[Crach] | scabby | Crak |
Grach (mutated) | ||
[Cam] | crooked, lame | Cam |
Gam (mutated) | ||
[Cryg] | hoarse, stammering | Crek |
Grek (mutated) | ||
[Mawr] | big, senior | Maur |
Vaur (mutated) | ||
[Hen] | old | Hen |
[Cethin] | swarthy | Kethin |
*Gethin (mutated) | ||
[Bongam] | bandy-legged | Bongam |
*Vongam (mutated) | ||
[Cwtta] | short, stingy | Cutta, Coutta |
*Gutta (mutated) | ||
[Rhwth] | greedy, wide | Ruth |
[Bach] | small | Bach |
*Vach (mutated) | ||
[Gwyn] | white, fair | Wyn (men only) |
Wen (women only) | ||
[Hir] | tall | Hir |
[Melyn] | yellow | Velin, Velyn |
[Pen] | head, chief | Pen |
*Ben (mutated) | ||
[Penbras] | fat-head | Penbras |
*Benbras (mutated) | ||
[Pengrych] | curly-head | Pengrek |
*Bengrek (mutated) |
E.g. | Adaf Goch | ||
Ithel Bach | |||
Wentliana Vachan | |||
Angharad Duy |
English | Modern Welsh | 13th c. forms |
Shoemaker | Sutor (L) | |
Priest, Chaplain | Capellanus (L) | |
[Offeiriad] | Offeriot | |
Smith | Faber (L) | |
[Gof] | Gof, Of | |
Carpenter | Carpentarius (L) | |
[Saer] | Saer | |
Doctor | Medicus (L) | |
Goldsmith | Aurifaber (L) | |
Singer | Cantor (L), Corista (L) | |
Crwth-player | [Crwthor] | Crouthur (masc.) |
Crouthores (fem.) | ||
Huntsman | [Cynydd] | Kennith, Kenith, Kynith |
English-speaker | [Sais] | Seys, Seis |
Tailor | [Ysginydd] | Skynith, Skinnith, Skinith |
Miller | [Mal] | Mal |
[Melinydd] | Velinith, Melinnith |
E.g. | Kenuric Faber | ||
Meuric Saer | |||
Wladusa Religiosa |
E.g. | Tuder Glyne | ||
Alan de Ruthin |
Williams-Jones, Keith. The Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll 1292-3. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1976.