Period or Not . . . Shakespeare's Heroines

My continuing series in the East Kingdom Gazette talking about names that are and aren't period takes on the names of Shakespeare's heroines.  How many of them can be documented as used by real people and not just through the plays?  Quite a few, in fact:

Beatrice is found in various spellings throughout Europe, including England, France and Italy, through the later parts of period. [1], [3]

Bianca is found as a female name in Italy.[2]

Celia likewise is a female Italian name.[3]

Cordelia is found in sixteenth and early seventeenth century England.[4]

Hero is found as a female given name in England, the Netherlands and Germany.[5]

Juliet is found in early seventeenth century England.[6]

Olivia is found in England and Italy.[2], [7]

Portia can be found as the name of real women in sixteenth century Italy.[2]

We very recently found evidence of Miranda as a female given name in Spain.[8]

We are still researching whether a number of other Shakespearean names are documentable.  As more and more period books and documents become generally available through digitization, we continue to uncover evidence for names we previously thought “undocumentable.”

[1] “English Names found in Brass Enscriptions” by Janell K. Lovelace (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/brasses/women.html)

[2]  “Names from Sixteenth Century Venice” by Julia Smith (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/16thcvenice.html).

[3] “Feminine Given Names from the Online Catasto of Florence of 1427″ by Josh Mittleman (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/catasto/)

[4] “Something Rich and Strange: “Undocumentable” Names >From The IGI Parish Records” by Alys Mackyntoich (http://heraldry.sca.org/names/SomethingRichandStrange.html).

[5]  “England Marriages, 1538–1973 ,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NJ9C-GYB), Hero Olde and Wilmott, 17 Jan 1603; citing Gwinear, Cornwall, England, Batch: M02571-3; “Netherlands, Marriages, 1565-1892,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FN7W-NTG : accessed 22 Apr 2014), Hero Cornelisz and Jannetje Alberts, 08 May 1611; citing Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands, Batch: M01224-8

[6]  “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V5LP-V4L), Juliet Mordent, 15 Jul 1621; citing SAINT BOTOLPH BISHOPSGATE, LONDON, LONDON, ENGLAND, Batch: P00161-1

[7] “England Marriages, 1538–1973 ,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V52F-1F9), Ricardus Howarde and Olivia Hille, 11 Jun 1587; citing High Ham, Somerset, England; Batch: M01936-2

[8] “España, defunciones, 1600-1920,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FNMS-RL8), Miranda Miguel, 10 Feb 1642; citing Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Batch:  B86284-3