Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 733

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 733

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/733

Some of the Academy's early reports contain errors that we haven't yet corrected. Please use it with caution.

Later research turned up additional information relevant to this report. See the end of the letter for details.

Greetings from the Academy of St. Gabriel--

You asked about a 14th century Irish name pronounced like <Bree>. You also expressed interest in a 14th century Irish byname resembling <Barrett> or <Doughty>. Here is what we have found.

There were several early Irish saints named <Brígh> [1], which is pronounced like <Bree> (the slash represents an acute accent over the preceding vowel). We don't know if this name was still being used in the 14th century, however.

The surname <Barrett>is Gaelicized as <Bairéid> or <Báróid>. The first is associated with a family that settled in Tirawley in the 13th century. The second is said to go back to the AngloNorman invasion. Both these names could have been used in the 14th century [2].

Most Irish women in your period were known primarily as their father's daughters. For example, <Brígh> the daughter of <Domhnall> would usually have been called <Brígh inghean Domnhnaill>, pronounced \BREE IN-yen DON-nall\. The change in spelling of <Domhnall> is required by Irish grammar. However, patronymics were formed from the father's given name (or in some cases from his nickname). <Bairéid> is a Gaelicized English surname, not a given name, and we do not find examples of it being used in period. Based on our evidence we would expect the name to be used as a Bairéid> or <Brígh Báróid> [2,3].

The modern Irish surname <Doughty> was originally an English surname. It has been used in Dublin since the mid-17th century, but we have found no evidence that it was used in Ireland any earlier.

Of the name elements you've chose, we suggest that the best combinations for your persona are <Brígh Bairéid> or <Brígh Báróid>.

We hope that this has been of help to you. Please contact us again if you need further clarification or if you have any questions. Research and commentary for this letter was provided by Talan Gwynek, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Effric neyn Kenneoch, Charles Stewart O'Connor and Arval Benicoeur.

For the Academy,

Elisabeth de Rossignol

References

  1. O/ Corráin, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire, _Irish Names_ (Dublin: The Lilliput Press, 1990).
  2. Woulfe, Patrick, Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames (Kansas City: Irish Genealogical Foundation).
  3. Walsh, Paul, ed., _Beatha Aodha Ruaidh UíDhomhnaill -- Life of Hugh Roe O'Donnell_ (Irish Texts Society, 1948).
  4. MacLysaght, Edward, _The Surnames of Ireland_ (Dublin: Irish Academic Press Ltd., 1985, ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)

Correction, 18 Oct 2001, Arval: After a word ending in n, like inghean, the letter D does not lenite.