Names from a 1587 Tax Roll from Provins

by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Sara L. Friedemann)

© renewed 2017 Sara L. Uckelman; all rights reserved
© 2002 Sara L. Friedemann

The following are the names of about 150 men and women listed in a 1587 tax roll from Provins, a small city about 50 miles southeast of Paris. Because of its proximity to Paris, the dialect of French spoken in Provins was probably similar to that of Paris; it is interesting to compare the names found in this document with ones from the 1292 census of Paris and three early 15th century tax rolls from Paris. The names are ordered by gender, and then by frequency.

A few notes: By the 16th century, bynames in France were no longer used literally; rather, they had become fixed, inherited surnames, passed on from father to son. Therefore, a man named Jehan de Charlemaison would have this surname not because he lived at Charlemaison, but rather because his father's surname was Charlemaison. A couple of the surnames in the original source were rendered illegible by age and quality of the manuscript; these were reproduced as ellipses (...) in the source I was working from, and I have retained that notation.

Masculine Names by frequency

NameNotes
Jehan
    Jean de Longueau
    Jehan de Beguin
    Jehan de Charlemaison
    Jehan de La Baulme
    Jehan de Laromie
    Jehan de Longueau
    Jehan de Renty
    Jehan de Sablonnieres
    Jehan de Vallans
    Jehan de Vauhardy
    Jehan de Veelu
    Jehan du Roux
    Jehan Dugué
    Jehan Marchant
    Jehan Maunoys
    Jehan Retel
    Jehan, sieur de Brichanteau
Claude
    Claude Bureau
    Claude d'Arcis
    Claude de Meaulx
    Claude de Venderets
    Claude du Corbier
    Claude du Parc
    Claude Lachy
    Claude Laudin
    Claude Troussillon
Charles
    Charles de Carnavelt
    Charles de Chastel
    Charles de Crenan
    Charles de Fleury
    Charles de Jossier
    Charles de Sainct-Phalle
    Charles de Tournebeut
    Charles Robert
Nicolas
    Nicolas AleaumeAlso spelled Alleaume.
    Nicolas Beranjon
    Nicolas de Bloys
    Nicolas de Merdon
    Nicolas du Molin
    Nicolas du Roux
    Nicolas Guarin
    Nicole Tricost
François
    François Baillet
    François de La Rama
    François de Louviers
    François de Lozanne
    François des Marins
    François Guyot
    Francoys de Fernay
Anthoine
    Anthoine Cosle
    Anthoine de Melung
    Anthoine de Vieilz-Maisons
    Anthoine de...
    Anthoine Hennequin
    Anthoine La Marque
Loys
    Loys d'Arcis
    Loys de Campremy
    Loys de Fleurigny
    Loys de Fretel
    Loys de Neufuyz
    Loys Durand
Jacques
    Jacques de Boissy
    Jacques de Brilhac
    Jacques de Brunfay
    Jacques de la Veue
    Jacques de...
Phelippes
    Phelippes d'Ambly
    Phelippes d'Arcis
    Phelippes de d'Ambly
    Phelippes du Roux
    Phelippes, sieur de Rommenelles
Robert
    Robert de Champagne
    Robert de Harlay
    Robert de Ricart
    Robert du Roux
    Robert Possot
Christofle
    Christofle de Montigny
    Christofle de Pratuns
    Christofle Legoux
    Christofles de Boudreville
André
    André de Brunfay
    André de Sapincourt
    André Nesle
Edme
    Edme de Caulx
    Edme de Chevry
    Edme de Soisy
Pierre
    Pierre Dauvet
    Pierre Drouart
    Pierre Pithou
Denis
    Denis Poisson
    Denis Yver
Gabriel
    Gabriel de la Vallée
    Gabriel Leroy
Guy
    Guy Arbaleste
    Guy de Mouceaulx
Mathieu
    Mathieu de Charlemaison
    Mathieu de Verdelot
Michel
    Michel de Castres
    Michel Gervais
Odart
    Odart de Fretel
    Odart de Savoisy
Thomas
    Thomas d'Albeine
    Thomas d'ElbeineThis is probably the same person as above.
Tristan
    Tristan de Marchey
    Tristan de Noyen
Abel
    Abel de Villiers
Adam
    Adam de Cailly
Alain
    Alain de Madeuil
Albert
    Albert de Gondy
Benigne
    Benigne Pastey
Dreux
    Dreux de Soly
Estienne
    Estienne Coressin
Gerard
    Gerard Janvier
Guillaume
    Guillaume Perdrier
Hector
    Hector de Sainct-Blaise
Helye
    Helye du Tillet
Joachim
    Joachim de Vignacourt
Jules CezarAn unusual compound name.
    Jules Cezar de Bernier
Leon
    Leon de Montingy
Loth
    Loth de Bonneval
Loup
    Loup d'Ancienville
Octavien
    Octavien Allegrain
Paul
    Paul de Stuart
Philebert
    Philebert de Neufvys
Regnauld
    Regnauld de La Cave
Roger
    Roger Jacquot
Sebastien
    Sebastien Privé
Victor
    Victor Clement

Feminine Names

NameNotes
Marie
    Marie de Fleury
    Marie de Luré
    Marie Farel
ClaudeWhile this is more commonly a masculine name, it is sometimes found as a feminine name.
    Claude de Sainct-Phalle
    Claude de Torcy
JehanneThis is a feminine form of Jehan.
    Jehanne de La Rama
    Jehanne Graillet
Madeleine
    Madeleine Spifame
    Magdalenne Chevalier
Marguerite
    Marguerite de Noyen
    Marguerite Graillet
AnthoinetteThis is a feminine form of Anthoine.
    Anthoinette Certeau
Catherine
    Catherine de Seraucourt
Cecille
    Cecille Hemart
DargyIt is not clear from the entry if this was the woman's given name or surname.
    Dargy
FrançoiseThis is a feminine form of François.
    Françoise Gruelle
Geneviefve
    Geneviefve de Poisieu
Gravon
    Gravon, madamoiselle de MaupertuysI am not sure whether Gravon, is a given name or a byname, but I think it might be a byname.
SymonneThis is a feminine form of Simon.
    Symonne Bazin

Source: Carrìere, Abbé Victor, Role et Taxes des Fiefs de L'Arrière-Ban du Bailliage de Provins en 1587: avec une introduction sur le rétablissement et l'étendue de ce bailliage au XVI siècle (Paris: A. Picard et fils, éditeurs, Libraires de la Société de l'École des Chartes des Archives Nationales, 1903).