Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature

by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

“Syssot, wife of Jak of Barsley.”

Four wives named Cecilia in a community of some twenty-five families will be evidence enough of the popularity of that name. All, however, were known in every-day converse as Sissot.

Of other girl-names we may mention Mabel, which from Mab became Mabbott; Douce became Dowcett and Dowsett; Gillian or Julian, from Gill or Jill (whence Jack and Jill), became Gillot, Juliet, and Jowett; Margaret became Margett and Margott, and in the north Magot. Hence such entries from the Yorkshire parchments, already quoted, as—

“Thomas de Balme, et Magota uxor ejus, chapman, iiii^d.

“Hugo Farrowe, et Magota uxor ejus, smyth, iiii^d.

“Johannes Magotson, iiii^d.”

Custance became Cussot, from Cuss or Cust, the nick form. The Hundred Rolls contain a “Cussot Colling”—a rare place to find one of these diminutives, for they are set down with great clerkly formality.

From Lettice, Lesot was obtained:

“Johan Chapman, & Lesot sa femme, iiii^d.”—W. D. S.

And Dionisia was very popular as Diot: