[ANSTHRLD] 16th Century Spanish names

[Coblaith Muimnech]

Masamune wrote:
> I am doing some research for several late period Spanish names, and  
> I have a few questions.. . .

> . . .Does the naming practice of <given name> <father's surname>  
> <mother's surname> or vice versa exist that far back?

"Choosing a Society Name: Hints for Newcomers" <http://www.s- 
gabriel.org/names/dietmar/hints.html> says, "In modern Spain, members  
of the nobility often have several given names and very complex  
surnames that combine their parents' surnames. This custom is modern;  
medieval Spanish names were much shorter and simpler."

> The name I am considering registering is Juan Miguel de Vadillo.   
> All of the elements are listed at St. Gabriel as 16th Century  
> Spanish.  If this isn't registerable, can I do Juan Miguel  
> <patronymic> de Vadillo?


Emily Minier commented:
> . . .if you are willing to use Miguel as part of your surname,  
> instead of as a second given name, there is considerably more  
> leeway (see letters 1554 and 1632).

and Masamune answered:
> Can Miguel be a surname?  I wasn't aware of that.  If I can use it  
> like that, so much the better.  I would also find "Son of  
> Michael" (I have no idea if that's the same as Miguel) acceptable  
> if there is another form, but I have never seen one.

I'm guessing the patronymic would be "Miguelez" or something similar,  
based on the models at <http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~kvs/heraldry/spanish16/ 
patro-freq.html> and the fact that there are lots of modern  
individuals surnamed "Miguelez".

With that and the other information in "16th Century Spanish Names"  
<http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~kvs/heraldry/spanish16/> (which contains  
"Juan" and "Miguel" as given names and "de Vadillo" as a locative and  
explicitly supports the "<given name> <patronymic> de <locative>"  
pattern for this context), I expect you could make a successful  
argument for "Juan Miguelez de Vadillo".


Coblaith Muimnech
<mailto:Coblaith at sbcglobal.net>
<http://coblaith.net>