[antir-heralds] Name Help...Watkins

[Ursula Whitcher]

Dafydd Caerfyrddin wrote:
> Greetings,
> 
> I have a client who would like to have a Welsh persona circa 14th Century.
> Her modern family descends from the Watkins (I am assuming this is a modern
> spelling) family, from Wales.  Can anyone help me find the medieval form of
> this name, if it actually existed in 14th C?  I have looked at the Academy
> of St. Gabriel, but can't find what I'm looking for...

Reaney and Wilson says that Watkin is a diminutive of Walter.  Their 
dated examples include:

Adam filius Walterkini, 1200
Watkin, 1252
Watkynge Llooyde, 1623
John Watkyns 1327
John Wattkyn 1552

The 1623 Watkynge Llooyde is probably Welsh.  Withycombe says that the 
name Walter came to England with the Conquest, so the name's use in 
Wales is probably due to English/Anglo-Norman influence.

Since there's a 1327 Watkyns, either Watkins or Watkyns is probably just 
fine for your client's period.

Ursula Georges.