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Scottish Gaelic Given Names for Women

Scottish Gaelic Given Names: For Women:
Names of Scottish Gaels from Scottish Gaelic Sources

Afraig?
Draft Edition

Last updated 6 Nov 2001

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This is a draft edition! It is very incomplete! See the first part of this article. You have been warned!

Evidence: * Scottish * Irish * Modern * Conclusions

Evidence

Pre-1600 Scottish Gaelic Evidence (from documents written using Gaelic orthography)

As yet, no pre-1600 Scottish Gaelic examples of the name have been found written in standard Gaelic orthography.

Pre-1600 Scottish Gaelic Evidence (from documents written in Gaelic but using Scots orthography)

The Book of the Dean of Lismore, a collection of Gaelic poetry collected in the early 16th century and recorded in Gaelic but using Scots language style spelling rather than standard Gaelic spelling, includes a poem where the author is indicated by the line "A hujus Effric neyn corgitill" ('the author of this is Effric daughter of Torquil'). (M'Lauchlan, OG p. 96; Cameron, v. 1, p. 99)

Pre-1600 Latin Evidence from Scotland

A list of Gaels who were parishioners in Kilmacronak in Muckarne, in the west Highlands, in 1541 included "Efrica dominici vic Calman" and "Effririca fullonis".[Ewen, p. 209] (For the particular spelling <Effririca> the clerk undoubtedly meant to write <Effrica> and accidently wrote the <ri> twice.) But here these names are being recorded in Latin, not Gaelic.

So while this shows that mid-16th century Scottish Gaels were using a name that was recorded in Latin documents as <Efrica>, it does not tell us what the medieval Gaelic form of that name was.

Pre-1600 Scots Language Evidence

Entries in the late 16th century Burgh Court Books for Inverness record the names of a number of women who, based on their full names, were apparently Gaels (although, since they appear in a burgh/town, at least some of them may have been bi-cultural). Examples include:

"Effe Neyn Kendryk Moyr" - 1559

But these names are being recorded in Scots, not Gaelic.

So while this shows that late 16th century Scottish Gaels were using a name that was recorded in Scots language documents as <Effe>, it does not tell us what the medieval Gaelic form of that name was.

Pre-1600 Scottish Evidence from Various and/or Unidentified Languages

The entry s.n. "Africa" in Black says:

AFRICA, AFFRICA. A favorite female name in the twelfth century which continued in use for four or five hundred years later. It is also found at a much earlier date in Ireland: Affrick, abbess of Kildare, died in 739 (Annals of Clonmacnoise). Affreka or Affrica, daughter of Duncan, earl of Fife, became the first wife of Harald, earl of Orkney (Ork. Saga, p. 88; Skene, CS., I, p. 481). Afreka or Affrica, daughter of Fergus, lord of Galloway, married Olaf, king of the Islands, and was mother of Godfrey, king of Man and the Hebrides, who reigned till 1187 (Early sources, II, p. 467). Aufrike or Affrica, one of the illegitimate daughters of William the Lion, was married to William de Say (Foedera, I, pt. 2, p. 776). Godfrey, king of Man and the Hebrides, married Findguala, daughter of Muirchartach, king of Ireland, and their daughter Affrika was married to John de Courcy (Chron. Man., I, p. 80). Affrica, daughter of Edgar, son of Duuenald of Stranith, granted to the bishop of Glasgow the church of S. Brigide of Wintertonegan in the valley of the Niht (Nithsdale) in 1227 (REG., p 120). Effrick, daughter of Coline, lord of carrick, was mother of Coline or Callen More (HP., II, p. 84), and Eafric or Effric neyn Corgitall wrote a poem on the death of her husband MacNeill of Gigha, c. 1470 (Lismore, p. 96). Effric Makfatrick had sasine of lands of Killenane in Cowel in 1504 and in 1515 (ER., XII, p. 717, 719), and as Affrica Makpatrik is again in record in 1525 as daughter of Duncan Macpatric in Cowal (RMS). An Effreta Maclachlan is in record in 1570 (Poltalloch writs, p. 144) and Africk McQuhollaster is mentioned in a charter of wadset of 1571 (Scrymgeour family docs., p. 21). The name appears to have been originally that of a river goddess, Afraig (Aith-brecc, mod. Gaelic Aithbreac, 'somewhat speckled'), the goddess of the (river-)ford. The name survived into the eighteenth century as Effrick = Oighrig, and absurdly Englished Euphemia!

Pre-1600 Irish Gaelic Evidence

"Affrica, banabb Cille Dara"(Four Masters 1, M738.2)

"Affraic, banabb Cille Dara"(Four Masters 1, M833.3)

"Affraic abatisa Cille Dara"(Ulster 1, U834.2)

"Aiffric inghean Briain Uí Raghallaigh ben Briain Meic Tighearnáin"(Four Masters 3, M1364.2)

"Aiffric inghen Aodha Uí Néill, bein Henri Aimhreidh Uí Néill"(Four Masters 4, M1389.10)

Pre-1600 Latin Evidence from Ireland

"Mors Affrice, dominatrix Cille Daro"(Ulster 1, U743.1)

"Mors Aifricci banab Cille Dara"(Tigernach, T743.1)

Pre-1600 English Language Evidence from Ireland

(To be included if found.)

Modern Scottish Gaelic Evidence

"Eighrig ... Common. A form of Oighrig. Occasionally spelt Eibhrig. See Oighrig."(Morgan, s.n. Eighrig)

"Oighrig ... Common. Possibly linked to the name of the continent Africa? Popularly associated with Effie, Euphemia. See Eighrig."(Morgan, s.n. Oighrig)

Conclusions

Speculative Pre-1600 Scottish Gaelic Forms

(To be written when time permits.)