Sunday, January 8, 2017

Flower Names for Women, Part 1

Heralds frequently are asked to document names for women based on flowers.  While the name Rose and its variants are easily documentable to the Middle Ages and Renaissance, other flower- and plant-based names are more difficult to find.  This post is the first in a series documenting flower names for women.  It focuses on English and Scottish examples.  Later posts will discuss evidence of flower names in other languages.

I have not posted every instance I found, only a single example of a spelling in English or Scots.  I tried to identify the earliest instance of each spelling variant.

All of the cites below are from FamilySearch Historical Records.  They are formatted for citing in OSCAR with all of the necessary information.


Amaryllis Flamson; Female; Marriage; 14 Apr 1632; Nailstone, Leicester, England; Batch: M09633-1 ((https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N26P-TQJ)

Aster Hewett; Female; Death; 25 Aug 1618; St. Bride's Parish, London, England; Batch: B05192-7 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JZL8-BY2)  [NOTE: This may be a variant spelling of Hester rather than a reference to the flower.]

Camelia Shawe; Female; Christening; 16 Jan 1602; St Giles Cripplegate, London, London, England; Batch: C02243-2 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLNR-9QJ)

Daisy Hart; Female; Christening; 31 Aug 1620; Tattershall, Lincoln, England; Batch: C03202-4 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYD8-M8M)

Flora Prinkeard; Female; Marriage; 28 Jan 1599; Buckland Monachorum, Devon, England; Batch: M05006-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKYQ-34Y)
Flora Noltman; Female; Marriage; 02 Sep 1641; Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; Batch: M11982-3 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYMV-82F)

Flower Dewe; Female; Marriage; 26 Jul 1599; South Huish, Devon, England; Batch: M05201-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2L5-423)

Heather Arnole; Female; Christening; 16 Nov 1612; Saint Nicholas, Colchester, Essex, England; Batch: K13795-3 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N15P-QTL)

Iris [no surname]; Female; Burial; 04 Aug 1592; Goxhill, Lincoln, England; Batch: B02860-3 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J85D-9MD)
Irys Gulsun; Female; Marriage; 12 Oct 1544; St Modwen'S, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, England; Batch: M02017-4 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NV9C-H4D)

Ivie Barrington; Female; Christening; 22 Dec 1594; Linstead, Kent, England; Batch: C04299-5 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLQF-S9F)

Lilly Griffine; Female; Christening; Jan 1582; Saint Margaret, Westminster, London, England; Batch: P00160-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5W6-HJW)
Lylly Rogers; Female; Marriage; 24 Dec 1581; Saint Margaret, Westminster, London, England; Batch: M00160-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V526-XG3)
Lylie Hamner; Female; Marriage; 28 Jun 1584; Saint Margaret, Westminster, London, England; Batch: M00160-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V52X-9M1)

Primrose Reve; Female; Christening; 12 Dec 1628; Saint Mary Somerset, London, London, England; Batch: P00149-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NY19-XF4)

Violet Charnould; Female; Christening; 26 Sep 1596; MIstley, Essex, England; Batch: C04699-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQT5-3J3)
Violett Byde; Female; Marriage; 26 Jul 1640; Jarrow, Durham, England; Batch: M00048-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLZL-14P)
Violetta Bell; Female; Marriage; 15 Sep 1642; Corby, Lincoln, England; Batch: M02766-3 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NXW3-151)
Violette [no surname]; Female; Christening; 20 Mar 1648; Aslackby, Lincoln, England; Batch: C02676-3 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3T9-TM5)
Violet Jaksoune; Female; Marriage; 07 Sep 1570; Perth, Perth, Scotland; Batch: M11387-4 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XY32-P28)



Yarrow Rommett; Female; Marriage; 19 Nov 1610; Bodmin, Cornwall, England; Batch: M00275-1 (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVRT-XXH)