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A Brief, Incomplete, and Rather Stopgap Article about European Household and Other Group Names Before 1600

by Sharon L. Krossa
Last updated 3 Oct 2008  

Introduction

The kinds of names used for organized groups of people in the Middle Ages and early Early Modern period varied hugely depending not only on the kind of group (household, ruling noble family/dynasty, craft guild, military unit, etc.) but also on the specific time period, culture, and language. Naming patterns used in one time and culture were not necessarily also used in another time and culture, and within the same time, culture, and language, naming patterns used for one kind of group were not necessarily also used for another kind of group. For example, the naming patterns used for ruling noble families in 16th century England (in English) were not the same as the naming patterns used for ruling noble families in 16th century Scotland in Gaelic, nor did ruling noble families and craft guilds use the same naming patterns in 16th century England, and so on.

This article seeks to provide at least a brief discussion, with relevant evidence, of some naming patterns known to be used for some organized groups of people within some specific times, cultures, and languages within Europe before 1600. It is not at all comprehensive, and many times, cultures, languages, and naming patterns are not covered. Where a more comprehensive article is known to exist, whether for a naming pattern, time, culture, and/or language, that article is linked to in lieu of any discussion here. Ideally, some day, this article should be completely replaced by such articles, but until then it is offered on a "better than nothing" basis...

(If you know of an article that should replace any of the sections of this article, or one covering a time, culture, language, and/or naming pattern not yet covered, please contact me and let me know!)

Index


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