New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesGersende
Recently I read the name Gersende in a magazine. It is the name of a woman who from my understanding would be noble if the French still had nobility.
Any ideas what the name could mean?
Thank you!
Any ideas what the name could mean?
Thank you!
1
Replies
No solid knowledge here, just an educated guess:
Gersende looks like a variant of Gerswinda.
If that's the case, then the name is derived from Old High German "ger" = "spear" (compare Gertrude) and "swinþs" / Middle High German "swinde/swint" = "strong; impetuous".
When you compare how Amalasuintha / Amalaswintha became Melisende in Medieval French, well, I guess Gerswinda could have become Gersende.
By the way, apparently a Saxon lady named Gerswinda was one of the concubines of Charlemagne from at least the autumn of 794 to the summer of 800. She's said to be the mother to his daughter Adeltrud.
(At least according to this source: http://books.google.de/books?id=1so18Uzc8LUC&pg=PA149&lpg=PA149&dq=gerswinda&source=bl&ots=2komGFSi40&sig=cKwpLuX6afRlzVXPXhXMWM8jaV0&hl=de&sa=X&ei=7l7-UvbXJsGbtQaNvoHYCQ&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=gerswinda&f=false )
Gersende looks like a variant of Gerswinda.
If that's the case, then the name is derived from Old High German "ger" = "spear" (compare Gertrude) and "swinþs" / Middle High German "swinde/swint" = "strong; impetuous".
When you compare how Amalasuintha / Amalaswintha became Melisende in Medieval French, well, I guess Gerswinda could have become Gersende.
By the way, apparently a Saxon lady named Gerswinda was one of the concubines of Charlemagne from at least the autumn of 794 to the summer of 800. She's said to be the mother to his daughter Adeltrud.
(At least according to this source: http://books.google.de/books?id=1so18Uzc8LUC&pg=PA149&lpg=PA149&dq=gerswinda&source=bl&ots=2komGFSi40&sig=cKwpLuX6afRlzVXPXhXMWM8jaV0&hl=de&sa=X&ei=7l7-UvbXJsGbtQaNvoHYCQ&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=gerswinda&f=false )
1
Some French given name websites seem to confirm your guess about "ger" and "swinth", e.g.
http://www.enfant.com/prenoms/876-gersende
http://prenoms.aujourdhui.com/prenoms/513056/equipe-aujourdhui-com-gersende.html
http://www.enfant.com/prenoms/876-gersende
http://prenoms.aujourdhui.com/prenoms/513056/equipe-aujourdhui-com-gersende.html
1