This is the May 2005 Middle Kingdom Letter of Acceptances and Returns for Escutcheon’s March 2005 Letter of Intent.

Unless otherwise noted, all clients will accept changes. Comments in braces {} were removed from the Letter of Intent sent to Laurel and the College of Arms, devices, or badges in braces have been returned or pended. Commentary, rulings, etc. by Rouge Scarpe are placed in CAP PRINT. Thanks to Knut, Aryanhwy, Mikhail and AElfreda (A&M), Bronwen, and Master John ap Wynne for this month’s commentary.

 

1) Agnes of Tynes (F) -- New Name and Device -- Azure, a crane in his vigilance and a bordure argent a semy of cinquefoil vert.
(Cynnabar)

Client will accept major changes.

BLAZON CHANGE: Azure, a crane in his vigilance within a bordure argent semy of cinquefoils vert.

[Agnes] -- "Feminine Given Names in 'A Dictionary of English Surnames'" by Talan Gwynek, [Agnes] c. 1153, 1160

[Tynes] -- (http://vrcoll.fa.pitt.edu/medart/image/England/maps/msh1066.jpg)
(Esct. Note: Nice map, slow to load and a bit small. The Tyne River is one the east side of the Island north of York and east of Galloway. This is the only documentation provided.)

Name Commentary

Bronwen - The maps included documents the Tyne River, but nor 'Tynes'. Dictionary of English Place-Names; Eckwall; P.461-2; has s.n.s for Tyne R (dates Tindala to 1158 as a form of Tynedale), Tyneham (1185 Tigeham, 1194 Tiham, 1280 Tynham), and Tynemouth (1095) Tine muðan. [Tine mu{dh}an]

Talan - Locative bynames from river-names are virtually non-existent; offhand I can't think of a single one in English.

There are, on the other hand, a couple of place-names derived from the name of the river Tyne.  Tynedale, the valley through which it runs, for instance, is found as <Tindala> 1158 (Ekwall s.n. <Tyne>), and Tynemouth, at its mouth, is found as <Tinemutha> between ca.1107 and ca.1170x74, <Tinemue> and <Tynemue> between 1235x6 and 1260, <Tynemuwe> 1242, <Tynemewe> 1296, and <Tynnemouth> 1485 (Victor Watts, ed., The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names, CUP, 2004, s.n. <Tynemouth>).  Tindale in Cumberland, found as <Tindale> and <Tyndale> from the late 12th century on, is on a tributary of the South Tyne and may be another 'Tyne valley' (Watts s.n. <Tindale>).

It is very likely that the byname <Tynegate> recorded in Cumberland in 1332 (Reaney & Wilson s.n. <Tinegate>) is also locative, from a place whose name contains the same river-name.

<Agnes de Tindala>, <Agnes de Tinemutha> and <Agnes de Tyndale> are all fine late-11th century documentary forms. A bit later the same names might have been recorded as <Agnes de Tyndale> and <Agnes de Tynemuwe>.  In all likelihood <Agnes de Tynegate> is also a fine 13th century documentary form.  The English preposition <of> is much less likely than <de> in a documentary form with a Latinized forename, but it's not completely out of the question, so <de> could be replaced by <of> in any of these.

I haven't so far found any way to justify <of Tynes>.

Device Commentary

Bronwen - There is no such thing as "a semy".  Suggested re-blazon: 'Azure, a crane in his vigilance and a bordure argent semy of cinquefoils vert'. Looks clear.

Knut - Azure, a crane in his vigilance and a bordure argent semy of cinquefoils vert
Keziah Gildea - September of 1995 (via the Middle): Azure, a dove argent within a bordure argent semy of crosses moline azure.
RfS X.2 difference per the "Birds and Substantial Difference" precedent (11/03, CL).

Aleyd von Kiel - May of 2004 (via AEthelmearc): Azure, a crane and on a chief argent three roses azure.
CD type of secondary, CD number and tincture of tertiaries.

Clear

NAME CHANGED TO <Agnes de Tynegate>AND PASSED TO LAUREL WITH DEVICE

2) Caitilin Dub inghean Lughdach (F) New Name and Device -- Quarterly vert and argent, a rustre counterchanged.
(Illiton)

Client will *not* accept major changes. However, she did check for sound, female and 12th-14th century. I wish people would read these forms.

According to the paperwork:

? ? [Caitilin] -- "Found from 1411-1592 AD, as listed in "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Caitilin," by Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/Feminine/Caitilin.shtml)"

[Dub] -- "meaning "Black", probably referring to hair color, from "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Descriptive Bynames in Feminine Names," by Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/Feminine/DescriptiveBynames.html)"

[Lughdach] -- "Found from 503-1337, as listed in "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Lugaid/Lughaidh" by Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/Masculine/Lugaid.shtml)"

According to the paperwork: "The structure of this name comes from "Quick and Easy Gaelic Names," 3rd Ed. by Sharon L. Krossa under Descriptive Adjective with Simple Patronymic Bynames (page12)."

Name Commentary

Bronwen - The example used in the source material for <Dub> is dated to 1411-1592. <inghean> is the post 1200 form and <Lughdach> is dated to c1200-c1700 as the genitive form of Lughaidh, so this name could be correctly formed. I just wonder if there is a slightly earlier form of <Dub> that would be more likely.

Talan - The name is almost right: <Caitilín Dubh inghean Lughdach>, with a post-1200 form of the byname to match everything else.

Device Commentary

Ary - Lovely arms! I found no conflicts.

Talan - She ought to be advised in future to make the hole in the rustre a bit smaller; this would not only be more in keeping with the ones that I've seen, but also would reduce the resemblance to modern art.

NAME CHANGED TO <Caitilín Dubh inghean Lughdach> AND PASSED TO LAUREL WITH DEVICE

3) Dietrich von Andernach -- New Badge -- [Fieldless] On a fir tree Or, a tower vert
(Chillicothe, IL)
(Name reg'd Oct '91)
(co owner Gwyndlyn Caer Vyrddin)

Esct. Note: This item and item #7 are husband and wife badges. Each want their own badge with the other as co-owner. I double checked this with the client to verify.

 

Badge Commentary

Knut & Ary - Clear No conflicts found

BADGE PASSED TO LAUREL

4) {Faélán Wicferth} (M) -- New Name
(Drakelaw)

Client will *not* accept changes. Again, this is another submission where people don't read the form and adds a side note: "They would prefer it as one word ( I assume Wicferth), but if necessary, they'll accept it as two. They'll accept changing the second element's spelling to <ferthe> or <firth> if necessary, but much prefer it." This is a Pennsic Submission, what you see in the summary is what was on the worksheet.

[Fáelán ] -- "Irish Names", p. 92, [St Fáelá n] c. 656, multiple kings of Leinster,

[Wicferth] -- According to the paperwork: "Reaney & Wilson, p. 490, s.n. 'Wich' have <Wich> 1184 and <Whic> 1327,. Eckwall, p. 516, s.n. 'Wick' has <Wic> 12th. c. <Ferth> Reaney & Wilson, p. 169, s.n. 'Firth' has <Ferthe> 1296, <Frithe> 1195, <Frith> 1275."

Name Commentary

Bronwen - To begin with, this name is a combination of Gaelic and English, ruled a weirdness Ref. [Ian MacHenrik, 10/99]. Secondly, is <Wicferth> a plausible place-name or byname construction?

TalanThe name is in fact <Fáelán>: note the correct placement of the first accent.
> [Wicferth] -- According to the paperwork: "Reaney & Wilson, p. 490, s.n. 'Wich' have <Wich> >1184 and <Whic> 1327,. Eckwall, p. 516, s.n. 'Wick' has <Wic> 12th. c. <Ferth> Reaney & Wilson, p. >169, s.n. 'Firth' has <Ferthe> 1296, <Frithe> 1195, <Frith> 1275."

The documentation suggests that he is trying to justify <Wicferth> as a place-name.  Unfortunately, this really doesn't work very well.

The bynames discussed at Reaney & Wilson s.n. <Firth> are from the Old English place-name element <(ge)fyrhð>, <fyrhðe> 'a wood, woodland, wooded countryside'; A.H. Smith, English Place-Name Elements, 2 vols., CUP, 1956, s.v. <(ge)fyrhð> has only two examples of it as a second element,
<Akefrith> and <Pirbright>, whose first elements are from <âc> 'an oak-tree' and <pirige> 'a pear-tree', respectively.
This element, when not used alone, was apparently likely to be qualified by the type of tree growing in that particular bit of woodland.

The Old English place-name element <wîc> 'a dwelling, a building or collection of buildings for special purposes, a farm, a dairy farm', the source of the bynames cited from Reaney & Wilson s.n. <Wich> and the place-name cited from Ekwall s.n. <Wick>, is rare as a first element except in the specific compounds <wîchâm>, <wîcstôw>, and <wîctûn> (Smith s.v. <wîc>), though there are a few examples.  A compound <wîcfyrhð> meaning something like 'the wood by the farm' is therefore somewhat unlikely on two counts.

However, there was also an Old English word <wice> 'a wych-elm' that is found as the first element in a number of place-names (Smith s.n. <wice>).  Two of these are <Great Wishford> and <Little Wishford>, in record earlier as <Wykford Majori> ca.1190 and <Litel Wicford> 1324, respectively (Watts s.n. <(Great) Wishford>).  An Old English <Wicefyrhð> 'wych-elm wood' would fit the pattern exemplified by <Akefrith> and <Pirbright>.  We're not home free, however, since the question remains whether <Wicferth> is actually a plausible medieval form of the name.

It isn't actually very likely.  The modern <wych> in <wych-elm> shows the normal development of the word, and the most typical 13th century spellings of the place-name element seem to be <Wiche-> and <Wyche->.  In <Pirbright>, the only <-fyrhð> compound for which I have good information on early forms, the second element consistently appears with <-fri-> until eventually replaces <f>.  Early forms of <Chapel-en-le-Frith> given by Watts all have <Fr->, as do those of <Frith Bank> (Watts s.nn. <Chapel-en-le-Frith>, <Frith Bank>).  Apart from the very few noted by Reaney & Wilson, I've found no examples of forms in which the vowel precedes the <r> (<Firth>, <Verthe>, etc.); clearly the <Frith(e)> type (and in southern dialects the corresponding <Vryth(e)> type) was much more common, and we have at present no examples of <ferth> at all.  <Wicferthe> is marginally justifiable on the basis of <Litel Wicford> 1324 (noted above) and <Ferthe> 1296 noted in the submitter's documentation, but only marginally.


It's a pity that he didn't want <Wigferth>: there's an Old English masculine name whose normalized form is <Wigfrið> but which often appears with <-fer-> spellings in Old English charters, including the following examples.  They're taken from the collection of Anglo-Saxon charters at <http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=show&page=Charters>; I've used no charters that are generally agreed to be spurious, and I've put the Sawyer number (e.g., 'S 96') and date in parentheses:

  Uuigferthi (S 96; 757): Latinized, genitive case  Wigferth (S 263; 774)
  Wygferði (S 149; 796): Latinized, genitive case  Wigferð (S 1431b; 803)
  Wiferdus (S 220; 888): Latinized, nominative case  Wiferð (S 416; 931)  Wiferð (S 666; 956)

The name also occurs in a place-name in the phrase <to wigferþis leage> 'to Wigferþ's lea' (S 448; 939), and as <Wigferð> in the annal for the year 833 in the manuscript Cotton Tiberius B.iv, Manuscript D of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (<http://jebbo.home.texas.net/asc/d/d.nostyle.html>).

Unfortunately, while <Wigferth> would be eminently reasonable, I see no way to justify substituting <c> for <g>: <Wig-> was pronounced approximately \wee-\ (which is why it sometimes disappears from late-period spellings, as in the last three examples above) and would not normally have been written <Wic->.

NAME RETURNED

 

5) Fekete Rosa (F) -- New Name and Device -- Gules, a sea horse argent and on a chief argent, two roses slipped and leaved in saltire sable.
(Marche of Alderford)

Client will accept major changes.

BLAZON CHANGE: Gules, a sea horse and on a chief argent two roses in saltire slipped and leaved sable.

[Fekete] -- "Régi Magyar Családnevek Szótára," by Kázmar Miklos, p. 354, s.n. Fekete c. 1401

[Rosa] -- Árpád - Korikis Személynevtá r by Fehértói Katalin, p. 293, s.n. Rose c. 1234

Photocopies of documentation is included.

Name Commentary

Talan - >   [Rosa] -- Árpád - Korikis Személynevtá r by Fehértói> Katalin, p. 293, s.n. Rose c. 1234

This has been badly mangled: the title is <Árpád-kori kis személynévtár>.  This is actually s.n. <Rosa>, which is the form found, once in 1234 and once in 1235; see St. Gabriel report Nr. 2854 at <http:www.s-gabriel.org/2854>.

Device Commentary

Bronwen - Suggested re-blazon: 'Gules, a sea-horse and on a chief argent two roses slipped and leaved in saltire sable'. Looks clear.

Knut - Gules, a sea horse and on a chief argent, two roses slipped and leaved in saltire sable

Catherine of Cobweb Cottage - September of 1991 (via Caid): Gules, a sea-pegasus passant, on a chief argent two dolphins naiant gules.

CD wings, CD RfS X.4.j.ii.

Bronwyn Dawntreader - April of 1988 (via the East): Barry wavy azure and argent, a sea unicorn erect sable and on a chief argent three roses sable.

CD field, CD tincture of primary.  No CD for number only of tertiaries.

Malina Attewode - January of 2003 (via Calontir): Azure, a seahorse and on a chief argent three estoiles azure.

Olwen verch Heilyn Blaidd - April of 1999 (via Atenveldt): Sable, a sea-horse erect, on a chief argent, two lutes fesswise sable.

CDs field, CDs RfS X.4.j.ii.

Clear

Ary - The first 'argent' can be dropped, as well as the second comma. This is clear of Sophia de la Mer (reg. 10/88 via An Tir), "Gules, a seahorse within a bordure argent," with a CD for changing the type of peripheral, and another for adding the roses.

NAME AND DEVICE PASSED TO LAUREL

6) Fekete Rosa --New Badge -- Argent, in a cross four roses sable
(Marche of Alderford)

BLAZON CHANGE – Argent, four roses in cross sable.

Badge Commentary

Bronwen - Suggested re-blazon: 'Argent, in cross four roses sable'. Looks clear.

Knut - Argent, four roses in cross sable

Angus de Botha - January of 2002 (via Ansteorra): Argent, three roses in fess sable.

CDs number and arrangement of primaries.

Johanna von Nürnberg - September of 2002 (via Caid): Bendy argent semy of roses sable and gules.

CD field, CD number of primaries.

Rayne Moyra O'Ciaragain - August of 1999 (via Meridies): Per chevron argent and vert, three cinquefoils pierced one and two sable and a beehive Or.

Single CD for the field.  No CD for the type and tincture of one of four charges or for the visually insignifigant piercing.

Return for conflict.

Ary - That's just "in cross". This is clear of Emma of Elandonan (reg. 05/1997 via Atlantia), "Ermine, four roses in cross and a bordure wavy sable," with one CD for removing the bordure and one for changing the tincture of the field. I found nothing else close.

A&M - Possible conflict with Rayne Moyra O'Ciaragain (device registered in August of 1999 (via Meridies):  Per chevron argent and vert, three cinquefoils pierced one and two sable and a beehive Or.

There is no CD for cinquefoil vs. rose, nor for the piercing on the cinquefoils.

From the Precedents of Francoise la Flamme:

". . . Current precedent holds that a rose is not different from a cinquefoil. [Katrein Adler, 02/02, R-Outlands]"

"[(Fieldless) A cinquefoil pierced purpure] We have blazoned the cinquefoil as pierced because we believe that it is standard SCA practice to blazon this detail. Piercing of cinquefoils was likely due to artistic license in some portions of our period, and is not worth difference. [Tatiana Pavlovna
Sokolova, 04/03, R-Outlands]"


It is unclear whether or not one can invoke the "group theory" ruling, as written in the cover letter to the Novermber 1991 LOAR.  The beehive in Rayne's device is on one side of a line of field division, and has two changes compared to the charge in the similar position in the submitted badge (type and tincture), which would be sufficient for a CD. However, the submitted device does not have a divided field.



From: The Cover Letter to the November 1991 LOAR

"Group Theory.
While commentary was somewhat split on this issue, the general feeling was that to modify the Rules to define half of a group by line of division or as those charges on either side of an ordinary would only serve to encourage unbalanced armory. On the other hand, there are times when the visual impact of changes to charges which amount to "less than half the group" should be granted more difference. As a consequence, we are adopting Lady Dolphin's (now Lady Crescent) suggestion of allowing two changes to the minority of a group (i.e., the "lesser" half of a group of charges lying on either side of a line of field division or an ordinary) being sufficient for a Clear Difference. For example, "Per bend sinister sable and Or, a decrescent moon Or and three fir trees proper" would be allowed two CDs from "Per bend sinister azure and argent, a bear's head argent and three fir trees vert" with one CD for the field and another for the two changes to the charge in dexter chief."


From the Precedents of Francoise la Flamme:


 
"[Per chevron inverted azure and sable, a cinquefoil Or and two arrows inverted in chevron inverted argent] This is clear of conflict with ... Per chevron inverted ployé throughout argent and azure, a mullet of eight points and two arrows inverted in pile counterchanged. There is no difference between two arrows inverted in chevron inverted and two arrows inverted in pile. Per the November 1995 LoAR, "There is ... a CD for the change to the field and another for changing the type and tincture of the primary charge group on one side of the line of division, even though numerically this is not 'one half' of the primary charge group. For a fuller discussion of this precedent granting a CD for two changes to charges on one side of a line of division even when less than half the charge group is affected, see the December 21, 1991 Cover Letter (with the November 1991 LoAR)." There is thus one CD for changing the field, and a second CD for changing the type and tincture of the portion of the primary group that lies on the chiefmost side of the line of division (from a mullet of eight points azure to a cinquefoil Or).

Note that the precedent quoted above refers to fields that are split into two pieces by a single line of division. Thus, that precedent pertains to this armorial comparison, where both fields are split in two by a single, per chevron inverted, line of division. However, the 1995 precedent does not apply to field divisions that split the field into more than two pieces, such as quarterly, per saltire, or per pall. The submitting kingdom quoted a precedent in the Letter of Intent from September 1999. Because the 1999 ruling addresses a per pall field, which is not addressed by the 1995 precedent, the 1999 precedent neither supports nor overturns the 1995 precedent cited above: "[Per pall sable, vert and argent, in pale two swords crossed in saltire argent and a cat's paw print counterchanged.] Conflict with ... Per fess embattled vert and argent, in pale two swords in saltire and a compass star counterchanged. There is one CD for the changes to the field, but none for change in type and tincture for only one of three of the primary charges (as they are not arranged two and one)" (LoAR September 1999). [Adelheidis Spätauf, 09/03, A-Æthelmearc]"

I AGREE WITH A&M THAT IT UNCLEAR WHETHER OR NOT ONE CAN INVOKE THE ‘GROUP THEORY’ RULING. THE BADGE WILL BE PASSSED TO LAUREL FOR FINAL RULING

7) Gwyndlyn Caer Vyrddin -- New Badge – {[Fieldless] On a tower vert, a fir tree Or}
(Chillicothe, IL)
(Name reg'd Oct '91)
(co owner Dietrich von Andernach )

Badge Commentary

Bronwen - Conflicts with Ceridwen Dafydd registered in April of 1986 (via Caid):
'Argent, on a tower vert an equal-armed Celtic cross potent Or' for Caer Ddysg.

We can get one CD for fieldlessness, but a tower is not a simple charge as specified by

X.4.j.ii. For armory that has no more than two types of charge directly on the field and has no overall charges, substantially changing the type of all of a group of charges placed entirely on an ordinary or other suitable charge is one clear difference. Only the new submission is required to meet these conditions in order to benefit from this clause. A charge is suitable for the purposes of this rule if (a) it is simple enough in outline to be voided, and (b) it is correctly drawn with an interior substantial enough to display easily recognizable charges.

A tower is not simple enough in outline to be voided, and thus two changes would be needed to the tertiaries to get a second CD. Conflict.

Knut - Ceridwen Dafydd - April of 1986 (via Caid): Argent, on a tower vert an equal-armed Celtic cross potent Or.

Single CD for fieldless.  No CD for type only of tertiaries.

Return for conflict.

Ary - Admin Handbook V.B.2.a says "Each proposed submission should be listed in alphabetical order by the name under which the submission, if registered, will be recorded according to the guidelines laid down under Registerable Items above." Because Dietrich's name comes first in the alphabet, both submissions should be listed under his name on the ELoI. They will both still be equally co-owners.

This badge conflicts with Ceridwen Dafydd (reg. 04/1986 via Caid), "Argent, on a tower vert an equal-armed Celtic cross potent Or." There is one CD for fieldlessness, but none for changing just the type of tertiary on a non-simple charge.

BADGE RETURNED FOR CONFLICT WITH CERIDWEN DAFYDD

 

8) Günther von Stein (M) -- Name Change
(Illiton)
(Name "Roghallach the Strong" and Device " "Per bend sable and Or, a flexed arm bendwise sinister proper, upon a gloved hand vert, a crow close sable"" were reg'd Feb, '90.)

Client will accept major changes. He cares more for sound and 14th -16th century German .

? ? [Günther] --"Late Period German Masculine Given Names," by Talan Gwynek, (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/germmasc/plauen15.html) This article compiles names taken from Volkmar Hellfritzsch, "Vogtlandishche Personennamen", which lists names in 15th Century Plauen. [Günther] is listed as a Germanic name 1401-1450 AD

[von] -- High German preposition meaning "of"

? ? [Stein] -- "German Place Names from a 16th C. Czech Register," by Sara L. Uckelman, (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/germanplace.html). This article lists place names found in court registers from Rokitzan in Pilsen from 1543 to 1579 AD.

Name Commentary

Talan - It should be noted, however, that these are normalized spellings, and forms without the umlaut were also common. However, the name appears as <Günther> in a Bohemian patronymic byname in 1381 (Ernst Schwarz, Ernst Sudetendeutsche Familiennamen aus vorhussitischer Zeit, Köln, Böhlau Verlag, 1957, s.n. <Günther>), so it should be fine, as should the rest of the name.  (At the early end of his period it would more likely have been <Günther von Stain>, however.)

NAMED PASSED TO LAUREL

 

9) Illiton, Barony of -- New Badge -- [Fieldless] Two tridents in saltire sable
(Peoria, IL)
(The Shire of Illiton was reg'd Oct. '79)

Petition is included, along with fee.

Badge Commentary

Knut & Ary – Clear

BADGE PASSED TO LAUREL

 

10) Illiton, Barony of -- New Badge -- [Fieldless] Two tridents in saltire sable, overall a gray granite tower proper.
(Peoria, IL)
(The Shire of Illiton was reg'd Oct. '79)

Petition is included, along with fee.

 

Badge Commentary

Knute – Clear

Ary - Precedent says: "We note that there would be stylistic difficulties with armory designed with a scroll... and overall an escallop. Due to the shapes of these charges, any such design would have a large amount of overlap between the scroll and the escallop, making the escallop just "barely overall." By previous precedent, "Barely overall charges have been ruled unacceptable for a long time and for fieldless badges overall charges must have very little overlap with the charge it surmounts" (LoAR of September

1999). [Æthelmearc, Kingdom of, 08/03, R-Æthelmearc]"

This has little overlap, so it should be registerable.

BADGE PASSED TO LAUREL

 

11) {Stefanus Wicferth} --New Name
(Drakelaw)

Client will accept major changes but according to paperwork: "He'll accept the surname as two words if necessary and the second element as <ferthe> or <firth>, but much prefers it as <ferth>." This is a Pennsic Submission.

[Stefanus] -- Serle, p. 430 [Stefanus] c. 718

[Wicferth] -- Eckwall p. 516 s.n. "Wick" has <Wic> 12th c.
Reaney & Wilson, p. 169 s.n. "Firth" have <Ferthe> 1296, <Frith> 1195. <Frithe> 1275.

Name Commentary

Bronwen - Same question regarding the formation of the surname as applied to item #4

Talan - > [Stefanus] -- Serle, p. 430 [Stefanus] c. 718

The author's name is Searle, not Serle.  The byname is not a plausible Old English spelling -- it's marginal even as Middle English -- and in any case an Old English locative byname would use a preposition, so an early 8th century citation for <Stefanus> is rather pointless.  The same spelling can be found rather later, in Domesday Book (Reaney & Wilson s.n. <Stephen>), and doubtless later, though <Stephanus> is much the most common Latin spelling in the Middle English records that I've seen.

See comments from <Faélán Wicferth> regarding <Wicferth>

NAME RETURNED

 

12) {Stefanus Wicferth} -- Household Name -- House Wicferth
(Drakelaw)

Client will accept major changes but according to paperwork: "He'll accept the surname as two words if necessary and the second element as <ferthe> or <firth>, but much prefers it as <ferth>." This is a Pennsic Submission.

[Wicferth] -- According to the paperwork: "Reaney & Wilson, p. 490, s.n. 'Wich' have <Wich> 1184 and <Whic> 1327,.
Eckwall, p. 516, s.n. 'Wick' has <Wic> 12th. c.
<Ferth> Reaney & Wilson, p. 169, s.n. 'Firth' has <Ferthe> 1296, <Frithe> 1195, <Frith> 1275."

Name Commentary

Bronwen - If this is a plausible byname formation, then it also should be acceptable as a household name

Talan - I shan't copy the comments on <Wicferth> yet again.

HOUSEHOLD NAME RETURNED

 

At your service,

Phebe Bonadeci

Rouge Scarpe