Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & Social

by Walter Besant

The best method of treatment as regards the Christian names borne by the people during this period is to give a list of the more common names. Now there is a list ready to hand giving the names—Christian and surname—of Cade’s Kentish followers. The whole number of men on the list amounts to 1719. I have gone through the list and transcribed the Christian names. The following is the result, classified according to frequency. The names present themselves to us rather unexpectedly. Thus, we have them as follows:—

John		546	Andrew	┐	each 2
William		277	Benedict	│
Thomas		233	Augustine	├
Richard		196	Salmon	│
Robert		115	Herman	┘
Henry		53
Nicolas and Stephen		each 37
			Alexander		┐	each 1
			Alexius		│
Roger		33	Christopher		│
Simon		22	David		│
Laurence		21	Gerard		│
Peter and Walter		each 17	Marcus		│
			Lodowik		│
James		15	Vincentius		├
Ralph		12	Valentine		│
Hugh		8	Goodman		│
Adam		7	Gilbert		│
Philip		6	Daniel		│
Alan	┐	each 5	Waldus		│
Elias	│		Clement		│
Dionysius	├		Sampson		┘
George	│
Galfrid	│
Hamo	┘
Guy	┐	each 3
Bernard	│
Bartholomew	├
Michael	┘

It will be seen that there are only forty-eight names in all. One-third of the men are named John, one-sixth William, one-seventh Thomas, one-eighth Richard, one-fifteenth Robert, one-thirtieth Henry; and that more than thirty out of the forty-eight names are used less than six times each. Two-thirds of the people are called either John, William, Thomas, Richard, or Robert. And all the Saxon names except one are clean gone and forgotten. Not one Alfred, Edward, Ethelred among them all.

Here, again, is another list containing the names of 130 men. They come out in the following order:—

John	34	Henry	8	Nicholas	4
William	17	Roger	5	Walter	3
Thomas	15	Adam	5	Alexander	2
Richard	10	Stephen	3	Simon	2
Robert	8	Geoffrey	3

And once:—Laurence, James, Peter, Godfrey, Alan, Giles, Gilbert, Andrew, Raynard.

Here, too, Saxon names have gone quite out of use. Among the names of women we find Johanna or Joan very common. Also frequently met with are the names of Isabel, Matilda, Alison, Lucy, Petronilla (Parnel), Agnes, Idonia, Avica, Elecota, Richolda, Ecota, Claricia, Arabella, Theophania (Tiffany), Massanda, Desiderata, Fynea, Massilia, Auncelia, Godiyeva.

As regards the women’s names, I have taken them from the Calendar of Wills and arranged them in alphabetical order. It will be observed that though Saxon Christian names have entirely died out among men, many are preserved among women. It will also be observed that many beautiful names have been lost to us, though they might very well be revived. In spelling there are varieties, of which a few are here marked:—

┌	Adrey	┌	Collecta	┌	Helen		Mary
└	Awdrey	│	Collet	└	Helyn		Massia
		└	Coletta		Heliwysa		Massilia
┌	Agata		Constance		Hester		Matilda
└	Agatha		Creyna		Hilda	┌	Maudelyn
	Agnes		Cristina		Hodierna	└	Mawdlyne
	Alana		Custance				Mawde
	Albreda				Ibbota		Mazerb
	Albrica		Denys		Ida		Melina
	Alditha	┌	Deonisia		Idania		Milicent
	Aleisia	└	Dionisia		Idonea		Milsenda
	Alianora		Diamanda		Imania		Muriel
	Alice		Dorkes		Isabella
	Alielma		Dulce	┌	Isolda		Olive
	Allesia			└	Isoude		Orabilia
	Alusia		Earilda		Izan		Osey
	Alveva	┌	Edith
	Amabillia		Edyth		Jacobina		Pavya
┌	Amia		Egidia		Jacomine	┌	Pernella
└	Amy		Edelena		Jane	└	Petronilla
			Eleanora		Jenet		Philippa
┌	Amisia		Elena	┌	Joane
└	Amicia		Elicia	└	Johan	┌	Rayna
	Anabilla		Elizabeth	┌	Johanetta	└	Reyna
	Anebla	┌	Em	└	Johanna		Rebecca
	Anastasia	└	Emma		Joyce		Richolda
	Anna		Emota	┌	Jouette		Roberga
	Anneys		Ermina	└	Juetta	┌	Roesia
┌	Anselina		Erneburga		Juliana	│	Roisia
└	Auncelina		Essabella		Julyan	└	Roysia
	Argentilla		Estrilda		Judith	┌	Rosa
	Athelene		Etheldreda			└	Rose
	Auncilla		Eustachia		Kastanya		Rosamund
	Auncillia		Eve		Katherine
	Aundryna					┌	Sabina
	Avelina		Felicia		Laurencia	└	Sabine
	Avice		Filiat	┌	Lecia		Sallerna
			Florence	│	Liecia		Sandrissa
	Barbara		Floria	└	Letia		Sarah
	Basilia		Floricia		Leticia		Scolastica
┌	Beatrice		Frechesaunchi		Lenota		Senicla
└	Beatrix		Fridiswida		Loraa		Secilia
	Bersabe		Frances		Loreta		Sibil
	Blanche				Lucebetta		Sita
	Bona		Gena		Luceky		Suzanna
	Boneioya		Gencelina		Lucy		Susan
	Bridgett		Gennora		Luma		Swanilda
			Goda		Lydia
	Cassandra		Godeleva				Thomasina
	Castania		Gonilda		Mabel		Thomasyn
┌	Cecilley		Grace		Magota	┌	Thypphanya
└	Cecilia		Grecia		Margery	│	Tyffaniaa
	Charity		Gunnilda		Margaret	└	Theophani
	Chera		Gunnora	┌	Marion
	Cisceley			└	Mariona		Willelma
	Clarice	┌	Hanna	┌	Marsilia		Wynmarka
	Claricia	└	Hawisia	└	Massilia		Wyleholta
	Clemence		Hawysa		Martha

I have also drawn up a list of surnames belonging to London citizens in the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries. Such a list very properly belongs to the history of London. It may be analysed by any who desire to investigate the origins of names. For the purpose of this work, I have found it to be sufficient to take the analysis made by Riley for his Memorials of London and London Life. It is in substance as follows:—