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Re: What is the meaning of Exilda?
I always firstly get a Latin dictionary when searching for name's meanings... though Latin isn't my strongest side. Names are more often very "mutilated" forms of originally Latin (or whatever language) words. The closest ones I found weren't really suitable for making a name of, as they meant thing like "thin", "poor", "scrubby" or stuff related to banishments. There was one verb: exsilire, having several variations of "to jump" as meanings, and: "to arise", "to originate". Forms of the Latin verb that have a "D" somewhere in their endings, are the so-called gerundium and the gerundivum. The gerundium, forming the noun of a verb ("arising" in this case) cannot end with "-da" though, so only the gerundivum remains. We're talking about the form exsilienda then. As a standalone word, this can mean: "she who needs to be arisen". Well... Kinda makes sense, it's just a little long way from Exsilienda to Exilda... But you never know. Good luck :-)
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Names are very rarely from Latin. The Romans used really only a handful of standard Latin names, family names and nicknames being more important. Most modern personal names in the former Roman world, including Italy are either Celtic, Germanic, Hebrew or Greek (or quasi-Greek).
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Is it possible that the name has Native American origin? I myself am Quebecois and our history is deeply intertwined with the Indigenous populations. There was a large amount of intermarrying between the two cultures. This suggestions comes from my own research into tracing my family lineage. I have an ancestor who was Algonquin but was baptized as a catholic before her marriage to a Frenchman. Her name, as listed in the registrar, has "Exilda Kilde" listed between the first and last that she went by for the rest of her life.
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The name in the registrar is almost certainly one given at her baptism, e.g. a saints name, not native American.
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