ANSTHRLD - Name Documentation needed - Neassa Portlaw

[Andrea Hicks]

Brent Ryder wrote:
> 
> I was sent the following request. Can someone help with the documentation?
> 
>... Neassa Portlaw, I have no idea >what country I think its Irish.  Can you see if it would pass?

I haven't found Portlaw as a surname. R&W does have s.n. Parsloe,
Parslow, etc. 

I checked my OED and didn't find a word portlaw or partlaw.

*But* R&W, s.n. Portjoy: Walter Porteriole 1193...John Porteijoye
1276...Carry joy...probably a nickname for a happy man...cf. Richard
Porterfer 1221 'carry iron'; Thomas Portefleur 1202 'carry a flower',
Robert Porterose 1243 'carry a rose'." Since there is an example of
carrying something intangible(Portjoy), couldn't a by-name be
constructed for someone who carries the law, or a person who is
legalistic -  Portlaw?
It's just a guess on my part.

Here is part of the St. Gabriel report 2049: Neassa~

"<Neassa> is a modern Irish form of a name that was written <Ness> in
early
medieval Gaelic.  The Irish legends of the saints mention <Ness> as a
sister of Saint I/te, who died in 570 [1].  (The slash represents an
acute
accent mark on the preceding letter.)  We found no evidence that the
name
continued in use in later-period Ireland, so we cannot recommend it as a
good choice except for a very early medieval name.
References

[1] O/ Corra/in, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire, _Irish Names_ (Dublin:
The
Lilliput Press, 1990), s.n. Ness."

Hope this helps.
-- 
Andrea/Maridonna
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