England and Anglo-Saxon Lands

In early medieval England, Anglo-Saxon names were common. Names often began with elements like Æthel- (“noble”), Os- (“god”), or Beorht (“bright”). Examples include Æthelstan, Oswald, and Beowulf.

After the Norman Conquest of 1066, many Norman French names entered England, such as William, Robert, and Richard, gradually blending with native names.

Patronymic forms like “-son” (e.g., Johnson, Richardson) became widespread, alongside place-based surnames (e.g., Lancaster, York).

France and Normandy

In France, many names derived from Latin, Old French, and Germanic origins. Nobles often had names like Louis, Charles, Philippe, or Guillaume (William).

Surnames could be occupational (e.g., LeBlanc = “the white”), locational (e.g., de la Roche = “of the rock”), or descriptive (e.g., LeGrand = “the tall/big”).

Germany and the Holy Roman Empire

German medieval names often had strong meanings related to warfare and strength, such as Frederick (“peaceful ruler”) and Heinrich (“home ruler”).

Patronymics like “-son” were less common, but occupational and locational surnames emerged, e.g., Schmidt (smith) or Müller (miller).

Scandinavia

In Norse lands, naming customs featured the use of patronymics extensively. A man named Erik’s son would be called “Eriksson,” and a daughter “Eriksdottir.” Given names were often drawn from Norse mythology and heroic sagas. shutdown123