names-Scot-art - 9/15/95
Article on medieval Scottish names. "Names in Barbour's Bruce, A collection of 13th and 14th century men's names" by Bryan J. Maloney
NOTE: See also the files: names-Scot-msg, Scot-fem-nam-lst, Scotland-msg, fd-Scotland-msg, haggis-msg, cl-Scotland-msg.
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From: jacobus at sage.cc.purdue.edu (Kirsten Maloney)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Names, take two
Date: 12 Aug 1995 00:15:55 -0500
Organization: Purdue University
Keywords: Names, History, Research
I recently posted to the Rialto, through my wife's account as my own
news feed is very crochety about posting files, a short article I wrote on
names found in the 14th century (A.D. 1375) epic, _The Bruce_.
Should any newsletter or magazine upblisher wish to do me the honor of
actually publishing the following, they need merely ask (bjm10 at cornell.edu).
I can mail either the ASCII version below or a word processor format
document, with proper non-ASCII characters, neat tables, and other such
fineries.
Names in Barbour's Bruce
A collection of 13th and 14th century men's names.
Copyright 1995 Bryan J. Maloney
(SCA: Symon Freser of Lovat)
All Rights Reserved
I have culled out the personal names of historical figures mentioned in
John Barbour's Scottish National epic _The Bruce; The Book of the most
excellent and noble prince, Robert de Broyss, King of Scots_. This work was
completed in A.D. 1375. My specific source is the Early English Text
Society edition, published in 1870 from a manuscript dated A.D. 1487. I
used the EETS edition's index of proper names as a guide to hunt the text.
If this list is used as a source for persona names, I suggest in the
strongest possible terms that a medieval spelling of a name be adopted.
Although I have listed modern equivalents for many names, it was to provide
examples of how names have evolved in the last 500 years. When designing a
medieval persona and a medieval name is available, it is the height of
mental laziness (dare I say stupidity?) to insist upon a modern spelling.
If you are doing a Scottish persona set after 1400, I would consider
knowledge of the salient high points of _The Bruce_, at least, to be _de
rigeur_. So far as I know, the Early English Text Society is still extant.
The EETS edition is excellent, with a complete glossary, extensive
annotation, and several indexes. Not only would it let you experience an
original 14th century epic, but it would be an excellent source for
familiarizing yourself with Middle English.
_The Bruce_, like all "historical" epics (Barbour, himself, called it a
Romance: "Lordingis, quha likis for till her,/The Romanys now begynnys
her."), concentrates on the powerful. Thus, this list gives a fairly good
cross-section of names popular among the nobility and gentry of late 13th-
century/early 14th-century England and Scotland (The work covers events from
A.D. 1286 to A.D. 1332). It would not be a good indicator of Highland
Scottish practices, nor necessarily of the lower classes. In addition,
very, very few women's names appear. Nevertheless, Barbour's Bruce is a
primary source, from a specifically verifiable period.
I give "Christian" or "given" names first. The names are listed in order
of greatest to least frequency, with variations for each name. When several
variants appear, the names are listed by the first to appear alphabetically.
Thus, "Walter", appears under "Gawter". I also list the "frequency" of that
name in _The Bruce_. I determined this by counting the number of different
people who bore a specific given name. The total number of "living people"
(as opposed to saints, Greek philosophers, or King Arthur) whose given names
appear in Barbour's Bruce comes to 113. Two of them are women.
Isobel/Esobel (Isabel) was the wife of Edward of England. Iohane of the
tour (Joan of the Tower) was a prize to be married to Robert _The Bruce_'s
son. Their names do not appear in the table, since they appear here.
I then list "surnames", in alphabetical order with variations upon a
single name grouped together. Again, a single person could be referred to
by several variants upon a name. Barbour violates what is considered in
some (SCA) circles to be an airtight restriction on surname usage. I refer
to the practice of restricting a name like "The Bruce" to the head of a
lineage or holder of a peerage. Barbour violated this principle and
referred to "Eduard The Bruce", for example, even though it was Robert who
was, strictu sensu, "The Bruce". Eduard was not Robert's heir, nor did he
later turn out to inherit the Scottish crown.
Barbour would even refer to "The Bruce" without a first name, and the
particular Bruce in question must be deduced from context. I conclude that
restricting "the" to a family head or title holder was a great deal less
restricted in the 14th century than among amateur medievalists.
To further bolster my opinion, Barbour appeared to use "the" as a synonym
for "de", in names like "de Sowlis/the Sowlis". Thus, "the" in Scottish
14th-century usage might be considered another eponymic particle, much as
"of" is used in southern and later English dialects.
It was not unusual for Barbour to use more than one spelling of a name to
refer to the same person. This only makes sense, since the practice of
insisting upon a single spelling for a specific name was a modern innovation
in English. Upon reading the book, it is also quite obvious that it was
very possible to have to people with effectively identical names. For
example, "Robert The Bruce", the king-to-be of Scotland, had relatives named
"Robert The Bruce". One wonders where the omniscient, omnisapient SCA
College of Heralds was to tell them they couldn't do that.
Modern readers of English appear to have a great deal of trouble with
some spelling conventions. Specifically, the use of "i", "u" and "v" to
denote the modern letters "j", "v" and "u". The separation of "u" and "v"
was just beginning, and "j" was hardly used, if at all, in the late 14th
century. Readers should keep this in mind when they see something like
"Vmphraville" or "Dauid". Modern spelling would have these names
"Umphraville" and "David", just as it would render "Iames" as "James".
There are several letters in Middle English that are no longer in use.
Three are important for our purposes. The "yogh" looks like a subscripted "3"
except with a tail rather than a bottom curl. It was often pronounced like
a voiced German "ch" found in "nach". This letter often appears in modern
English as "gh" or "y", but I have chosen to use "3" below. Finally, Middle
English used a "long s" to represent what is usually now rendered "ss".
Since the German "ess-tset" is virtually identical in form and function, I
have adopted "B" (ASCII's closest character to the ess-tset) as a close
equivalent. Thus, when you see "B" at the end of a name, the modern rendering
would be "ss".
Given Names
Name: Ihon, Ihone, Iohn, Iohne
Modern: Ian, John
Frequency: 15
Name: Vil3ame, Vil3ame, Vil3hame, Villiame, Wil3am, Wil3ame, Will3ame,
William, Williame, Wyl3ame(1)
Modern: William
Frequency: 13
Name: Roger
Modern: Roger
Frequency: 7
Name: Thom, ThomaB, Thomas
Modern: Tom, Thomas
Frequency: 7
Name: Gawter, Valter , Walter
Modern: Walter
Frequency: 5
Name: Gib, Gilbert
Modern: Gil, Gilbert
Frequency: 5
Name: Alexander, Alexandir, Alysandir
Modern: Alexander
Frequency: 4
Name: Dauid, Davy
Modern: David, Dave
Frequency: 4
Name: Eduard, Eduuard, Edward
Modern: Edward
Frequency: 3
Name: Neill, Nele, Neyll
Modern: Neal, Nigel
Frequency: 3
Name: Richard, Richarde, Rychard
Modern: Richard
Frequency: 3
Name: Sym, Symon(2)
Modern: Simon
Frequency: 3
Name: Alane
Modern: Alan
Frequency: 2
Name: Amer, Amery, Aymer
Modern:
Frequency: 2
Name: Androu
Modern: Andrew
Frequency: 2
Name: Gylmyne
Modern:
Frequency: 2
Name: Henry(3)
Modern: Harry (not Harold), Henry
Frequency: 2
Name: Iames, Iamys(4)
Modern: James
Frequency: 2
Name: Ingerame, Ingram, Yngerame
Modern: Ingram, Ingraham
Frequency: 2
Name: MoriB
Modern: Morris, Maurice
Frequency: 2
Name: Philip, Philippe
Modern: Philip
Frequency: 2
Name: Ralf, Rauf, Raulf
Modern: Ralph
Frequency: 2
Name: Robert
Modern: Robert
Frequency: 2
Name: Adam, Adame
Modern: Adam
Frequency: 1
Name: AnguB
Modern: Angus
Frequency: 1
Name: Archbald, Archibald
Modern: Archibald
Frequency: 1
Name: Blar
Modern: Blair
Frequency: 1
Name: Colyne
Modern: Colin
Frequency: 1
Name: Cristal, Cristall, Cristole, Crystall, Crystoll
Modern: Christopher(!)
Frequency: 1
Name: Donald
Modern: Donald
Frequency: 1
Name: DowglaB
Modern: Douglas
Frequency: 1
Name: Edmund
Modern:
Frequency: 1
Name: Ewmond(5)
Modern:
Frequency: 1
Name: FerguB
Modern: Fergus
Frequency: 1
Name: Gaudifer
Modern:
Frequency: 1
Name: Gelis, Gylys
Modern: Giles
Frequency: 1
Name: Hew
Modern: Hugh
Frequency: 1
Name: Lowrens
Modern: Laurence
Frequency: 1
Name: Mermadak
Modern: Marmaduke
Frequency: 1
Name: PeriB, Peris(6)
Modern: Piers
Frequency: 1
Name: Ranald
Modern: Ronald
Frequency: 1
Surnames
of Abyrnethy
of AngouB, AnguB
Ardrossane, de Ardrossane
de Argente
of Argile, of Argill, Argyle
Arthyn
the Balleol, the Balleoll
Bell
de Berclay, the Berclay, Breklay
Besat, Byset
Betwng(7)
the Boroundoun
of Bowme
Boyd, Boyde
Brechyne, of Brechyne, the Brechyne
Bretane, of Bretane
the BroiB, the BroyB, the Bruce, the BruB, the BruyB, the Brwce, the
BrwyB, the BryB
Broune
Brwman
Bunnok, Bwnnok(8)
de Caleone,of Cal3eon, de Calion(9)
Cambel, Cambell, Cammel
of Carnavarane, of Carnavirnane
of Catcart
of Clair, of Clar, of Clare
of Cobhame
Comyn, Cummynm Cumyn, the Cumyn, Cwmyn, the Cwmyn, Cwmyne
Crab(10)
off Crauford
Cwnyngame
Dancort
Desmwnd
Dicson, Dicsone
of Douglas, DouglaB, of DougleB, of Dowglas, of Dowglas, off Dowglas, of
DowglaB
Dwn
Erskyn
FeniB
Fi3waryne, Fyss Waryn
Flemyng
Forster
FrancaB, FrancoiB, FrancouB
Fraseyr, Fresale, Freser, the Freser
de FyniB
Le Fyss Thomas
Gilbertstoune
of Gordoun
Gray
Harpar, Harper
the Hastyngis
de Hay, de la Hay la, de Le Hay
de Hennaut, of Hennaut
Herdclay, the Herdclay
off Hersildoune
of Herth
of Ile, the Lile, of Ylis
Inchmertyn
Ingerame, Yngerame
of Keth, of Keyth
of Lacister. Loncastell
of Lambyrtoun
LedouB, LedowB, of the LedowB(11)
Logane
Logy, of Logy
of Lorn
Lumbard(12)
Macgoulchane
Makartane
Makdowall
Makfulchiane
Makgullane
Makmartane
Maknab
Maknakill
Maknauchtan
Makyne-Drosser
Male-Erll, Mayle-Erll
of Mar
Marthokys
Mavndwell, Mawndwil
MawpaB
the Mobray, Mowbra, the Mowbra, Mowbray, the Mowbray
Moffat, Mufhet
of Murref, of Murreff
Nevell, de Nevell, of Nevell, the Nevell
off Normandy
Odymsy, Ydymsy
of Ogill
the Persy
Randale, Randall, Randell, Randol, Randole, Randoll
the RoB
of Saint Iohne, of Sanct Iohne
Sancler, de Sancler, Syncler
of Setoun, of Setoune, of Seyton, off Seytoun
Somerueile, Somerweil
de Sowlis, de Sowlis, the Sowlis
of Spaldyng(13)
Steward, the Steward, Stewarde, Stewart, Stiward
Tomasswn
of Vallance, of Vallanch, of Walanch, the Wallang
ViBman
Vmphravell, Vmphrevele, Vmphrevell, de Vmphrewell, the Wmfrawill
Wardwn
of Webitoune
Wepownt
Appendix: The name "Wallace" does not appear in the preceding lists
(Vallance is not a version of Wallace). This is because William Wallace is
never mentioned by family name in _The Bruce_. In fact, the full accord
given to the hero of Mad Max IV: Beyond Haggis-Dome is short enough to
include below:
Thus-gat levyt thai, & in sic thrillage;
Bath pur, and thai of hey parag.
For off the lordis sum thai slew;
And sum thai hangyt, and sum thai drew;
And sum thai put in hard presoune,
For-owtyn cauB or enchesoun.
And amang othri, off dowglaB
Put in presoun schir Wil3am was,
That off dowglas was lord and syr;
Off him thai makyt a martyr.
Fra thai in presoune him sleuch,
Hys landis that war fayr Inewch,
Thai to the lord of clyffurd gave.
The above stanzas are from Book I, verses 275-287. "Schir Wil3am off
dowglaB" was the William Wallace of the recent movie. Lest you still have
an inflated sense of Wallace's importance to the work as a whole, Book I has
630 verses and is only the first of twenty books of around 600-800 verses,
each. For the modern English-only reader:
Thus they lived in such thrallage,
Both poor and they of high peerage.
For of the lords, some they slew,
And some they hanged, and some they drew.
And some they put in hard prison
Without cause or good reason.
And among others, of Douglas,
Put in prison, Sir William was,
Who of Douglas was lord and sire.
Of him they made a martyr.
For they in prison him slew.
His lands, that were fair enough,
They, to the lord of Clifford gave.
Reference: Barbour, John. 1375. The Bruce; or, The Book of the most
excellent and noble prince, Robert de Broyss, King of Scots. Early English
Text Society. London. 1870 edition edited by Walter W. Skeat.
Endnotes
1 One of the men named "William" was identified as a farmer rather than a
knight or peer.
2 While "Sym" is generally accepted as a diminutive of "Symon", the two men
mentioned specifically as "Sym" were identified as a craftsman and a
"burgeB" (townsman).
3 Pronounced Harry--it's a Saxon spelling of the Norman Henri, in which the
"n" was not pronounced.
4 Either spelling pronounced with two syllables, according to the scansion.
5 The possessor of this name was identified as being from Gascony, in France
6 The possessor of this name was identified as being from Gascony, in France
7 There is some evidence to suggest that this is a misrendering of "de
Thweng".
8 Identified as a farmer
9 Identified as a Gascon.
10 Identified as Flemish
11 Identified as a ladder-builder by trade.
12 Identified as a Gascon.
13 Identified as a townsman.
<the end>