16th and 17th Century Scots Names from Andrew Melville's Commonplace Book
by Allyson S.
known in the SCA as Muirgheal inghean Alasdair
Introduction
The following list of names is from Walker, William, ed., Extracts from the commonplace book of Andrew Melville, doctor and master in the Song School of Aberdeen, 1621-1640, specifically from the family register. The spelling of names has not been altered from the original text and all variants are recorded here. Names can be easily identified as male or female as people are listed as either godmothers or godfathers to the children. Many of the people listed are related to one another and while children have the same surnames as their father, wives maintain their maiden names. Spellings of surnames do not appear to be altered by gender. While these names were recorded in the early 17th century, many of the people listed are adults born in the late 16th century and these names span that era. Abbreviations are expanded in square brackets.
Given Names - Masculine
| Name (with variants) | # People |
| Alex[ande]r | 4 |
| Andrew, Androw | 4 |
| Dauid | 2 |
| Edwart | 1 |
| Gawan, Gawand | 1 |
| George | 2 |
| Gilbert | 2 |
| James | 1 |
| Jhon, Jhone, Jon, John | 4 |
| Patrick, Patrik | 4 |
| Robert, Rou | 7 |
| Thomas | 3 |
| Wiliame, William, Williame, W[illia]m | 6 |
Given Names - Feminine
| Name (with variants) | # People |
| Agnes | 3 |
| Cristian, Cristiane | 3 |
| Elspet, Elspett, Elizabeth | 3 |
| Geils | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Isobel, Isobell | 4 |
| Janet | 2 |
| Jeane | 2 |
| Katrein | 1 |
| Magdalen | 1 |
| Margaret, Margrat, Margret | 6 |
| Mariorie | 1 |
Surnames
| Name (with variants) | # People |
| Anderson, Andersone | 4 |
| Annan | 1 |
| Barik | 1 |
| Blackburne | 1 |
| Broune | 1 |
| Bucke | 1 |
| Burnett | 2 |
| Cargill | 1 |
| Carnigie | 1 |
| Chalmer | 1 |
| Cordinar | 1 |
| Couper | 1 |
| Dauidson, Dauidsone | 4 |
| Ealhous | 1 |
| Erskein | 1 |
| Farquhair, Farquhairt | 1 |
| Forbes, Forbs | 3 |
| Galloway | 1 |
| Gray | 1 |
| Hendersone | 1 |
| Huisone | 1 |
| Jack, Jacke | 3 |
| Jaffray, Jaffrey | 3 |
| Kelly | 1 |
| Keyth | 1 |
| Kilo | 1 |
| Lesly | 1 |
| Mackubye | 1 |
| Meluing, Melvin, Melving | 10 |
| Paull | 1 |
| Petrie | 1 |
| Raben | 1 |
| Redell | 1 |
| Reid | 1 |
| Rose, Ross | 2 |
| Skein | 1 |
| Straqhen, Straquhan, Straquhen, Straq[uhe]n Strauchen, Strawhen | 6 |
| Toche | 1 |
| Toushe | 1 |
| Walker | 1 |
| Wobster | 1 |
Full Names and Other Details
| Full Names | Descriptions from Text | Notes |
| Agnes Jaffray | "Midwyf" | Midwife at the birth of Agnes |
| Agnes [Melvin] | | Daughter of Andrew, born 1630 |
| Agnes Strauchen | "dochter to John straquhen" | |
| Alex[ande]r Andersone | | |
| Alex[ande]r Gray | "reader" | |
| Alex[ande]r Jaffrey | "Bailzie" | A ballie, or magistrate of the burgh. Later Provost of Aberdeen. |
| Alex[ande]r Keyth | "of glasco" | |
| Andrew Melvin | | Today known as Andrew Melville, born 1593 |
| Androw Burnett | | |
| Androw [Melvin] | | Son of Andrew, born 1631 |
| Androw Straqhen | | |
| Cristan Galloway | "Spous to Robert Annan" | |
| Cristane Ross | "Spous to Robert Melving" | |
| Cristiane Strawhen | "Spous to Robert Paull" | |
| Dauid Jaffrey | | |
| Dauid Meluing, Dauid Melving | | Brother of Andrew Melvin, a bookseller in Aberdeen |
| Edwart Raben | "printer" | |
| Elizabeth Bucke | "Spous to ye forsaid Mr Robert Farquhair" | |
| Elspet Forbes | "Spous to Wm blackburne" | |
| Elspett Dauidson | "Spous to Alexr Keyth of glasco" | |
| Gawand Chalmer, Gawan Chalmer | "Burges of Aberdein" | A "burges" or burgess is a freeman of a burgh. |
| Geils Burnett | | |
| George Dauidsone | | |
| George Rose | | |
| Gilbert Andersone | "Skipper" | |
| Gilbert Lesly | "Scoolmaster" | |
| Helen Redell | | |
| Isobel Hendersone | "Spous to Patrik Walker" | |
| Isobell Kilo | "Spous To the foirsaid gawen chalmer" | |
| Isobell Melving | "dochter to dauid melving my brother" | |
| Isobell Petrie | "Spous to Jhone broune" | |
| James Toche | | |
| Janet Carnigie | "Spous to Gilbert Andersone Skipper" | |
| Janet Ealhous | "Spous to Edward Raben"Second wife of Edward Raben |
| Jeane Barik | "spous to Patrick Jacke elder" | |
| Jeane Forbs | "Spous to Robert Straquhan" | |
| Jhon Anderson | "sone to Gilbert Andersone Skipper" | |
| Jhone Broune | | |
| John Straquhen | "skipper" |
| Jon Wobster | | |
| Katrein Toushe | "Spous to Alexr Andersone" | |
| Magdalen Erskein | "Spous to Mr Alexr Jaffrey Bailzie" | |
| Margaret Kelly | "Spous to William Cordinar" | |
| Margaret Mackubye | "Spous to The said Mr. Wiliame Dauidsone" | |
| Margaret [Melvin] | | Daughter of Andrew, born 1628 |
| Margrat Huisone | "Spous to Mr Wm Couper" | |
| Margrat Straq[uhe]n | "Spous to the foirsaid Wm. Reid" | |
| Margret Jack | "Spous to Dauid Melving" | |
| Mariorie Forbes | "spous to Robert Skein Treaserur for the Tyme" | |
| Patrick Dauidsone | "Mr of the Musick Scoole" | Master of the Music School, Father-in-law of Andrew Melvin and Alex[ande]r Keyth. |
| Patrick Jacke (elder) | | |
| Patrick Jacke (younger) | | |
| Patrik Walker | | |
| Robert Annan | | |
| Robert Farquhairt, Robert Farquhair | "Treasurer for that Tym" | |
| Robert [Melvin] | | Son of Andrew, born 1637 |
| Robert Melving | | |
| Robert Paull, Rou Paull | | |
| Robert Skein | "Burges of Abdein" | A "burges" or burgess is a freeman of a burgh. |
| Robert Straquhan, Robert Straq[uha]n | | |
| Thomas Andersone | | |
| Thomas Cargill | | |
| Thomas [Melvin] | | Son of Andrew, born 1634 |
| William Cordinar | | |
| Williame Couper, W[illia]m[e] Couper | "Docter of the grammer skoolle" | |
| Williame Dauidsone, Wiliame Dauidsone | "Guidmane of the Ord" | Brother of Patrick Dauidsone. A "Guidmane" or gudeman is the master of the family |
| Williame [Melvin] | | Son of Andrew, born 1632 |
| W[illia]m Blackburne | | |
| W[illia]m Reid | | |
References
Johnstone, John and John Longmuir. Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish language. (Edinburgh: W.P. Nimmo, 1867).
Walker, William, ed., Extracts from the commonplace book of Andrew Melville, doctor and master in the Song School of Aberdeen, 1621-1640. (Aberdeen: John Rae Smith, 1899).
