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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Margaret f. Greek μαργαρίτης 'pearl'.

The name of a number of saints, including a perhaps apocryphal 5th C saint, an 11th C queen of Scotland, a 12th C Hungarian nun, a 13th C Hungarian, a 13th C Italian, a 14th C Italian, a 15th C Italian, and two 16th C Englishwomen; the name of a 13th C Empress consort of Byzantium, a 13th C queen consort of France, a 13th C queen of Scotland, 14th-15th C queen of Denmark, a 15th C queen consort of England, a 16th C queen consort of Scotland, a 16th C queen of Navarre, and a 16th C queen of France.

The popularity of Margaret the Virgin-Martyr was a strong cause of this name's enduring popularity in the Middle Ages, particularly in France and England. The French form, Marguerite, became Margery (and variants) in Middle English. Margaret and Margery were often considered distinct names from as early as the 13th century, but even in the 16th century there is evidence for the same person being recorded by both variants, showing that the connection was still recognized. For more information see Withycombe s.n. Margery.

Brabant
Latin
1312 Margareta (nom) JeanIII p. 21
Czech Republic
Latin
1349 Margaretha (nom) chlumecky 58, Margaretham (acc) ibid. 55, Margarethe (dat) ibid. 57; 1350 Margareta (nom) ibid. 153, Margaretha (nom) ibid. 154, Margarethe (dat) ibid. 164; 1351 Margareta (nom) ibid. 18, Margarethe (gen) ibid. 31; 1353 Margareta (nom) ibid. 79, Margarete (dat) ibid. 104, Margaretha (nom) ibid. 35, p. 22, Margarethe (dat) ibid. 117; 1354 Margareta (nom) ibid. 60; 1355 Margaretha (nom) ibid. 91; 1356 Margarethe (dat) ibid. 147
England
Latin
1279–80 Margareta (nom) WaHR-SK p. 32, Margarete (dat) ibid. p. 32, Margeria (nom) ibid. p. 46; 1381 Margareta (nom) Suffolk1381 p. 68, Margarete (gen) ibid. p. 94, Margereta (nom) ibid. p. 97, Margeria (nom) ibid. p. 68, Margerie (gen) ibid. p. 82; 1406 Margreta (dat) EEW p. 14; 1408 Margareta (nom) GCCYork p. 11, Margaretam (acc) EEW p. 16; 1485–1486 Margareta (abl) CovGuild-2 p. 55
Middle English
1395 Margerie EEW p. 6; 1406 Margarete ibid. p. 13, Marigeri ibid. p. 13; 1408 Margarete ibid. p. 15; 1418 Margrete ibid. p. 44; 1420 Mariorie ibid. p. 48; 1424–25 Margeret ibid. p. 58; 1426 Margery ibid. p. 67, Margrete ibid. p. 67; 1430 Margaret ibid. p. 87; 1434 Margarete ibid. p. 96, Margery ibid. p. 102; 1436 Margaret ibid. p. 107; 1439 Margaret ibid. p. 118, Margarete ibid. p. 122, Margery ibid. p. 122; 1454 Margrete ibid. p. 133
English
1503 Margaret OrpingtonKe p. 73, Margery ibid. p. 74; 1530 Margaret LIWill-III p. 4, Margery ibid. p. 7, Marget ibid. p. 7, Margret ibid. p. 31; 1531 Margaret SaxhamSf p. 122, Margery ibid. p. 121; 1538 Margaret BEmar-vol1 p. 2, BarnstapleBap p. 1, Margerie BEmar-vol1 p. 2; 1538/9 Margret ibid. p. 2; 1539 Margarett StAnthonlin p. 1; 1540 Margaret ibid. p. 2, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 2, StNick-Sf p. 1, Margret BarnstapleBap p. 1; 1541 Magery StAnthonlin p. 3, Margaret ibid. p. 3, Margery BarnstapleBap p. 2, Marget ibid. p. 2, StNick-Sf p. 1; 1542 Margaret BarnstapleBap p. 3; 1543 Margaret ibid. p. 4, OrpingtonKe p. 75, StAnthonlin p. 4, Margerie ibid. p. 4, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 3, Margyd ibid. p. 4; 1544 Margaret StAnthonlin p. 4, Margerye StNick-Sf p. 1, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 4; 1545 Marget ibid. p. 4, Margett StNick-Sf p. 2, Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 78; 1545/6 Margrett BEmar-vol1 p. 3; 1546 Margeret BarnstapleBap p. 5, Margerie ibid. p. 5, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 3, StAnthonlin p. 5, Margett BarnstapleBap p. 5; 1547 Margaret StAnthonlin p. 6, Margery ibid. p. 6, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 5; 1548 Margaret ibid. p. 6, Marger DEmar-vol1 p. 79, Margery ibid. p. 79, StAnthonlin p. 6, Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 79, Margrett BEmar-vol1 p. 3; 1549 Margarett StAnthonlin p. 7; 1550 Margeret ibid. p. 8, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 6; 1551 Margaret StAnthonlin p. 9, Margeret ibid. p. 9, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 4, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 7; 1552 Marget ibid. p. 7, Margett StNick-Sf p. 2, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 4, DEmar-vol1 p. 79; 1553 Margaret StAnthonlin p. 9, Margert BEmar-vol1 p. 4, Margery ibid. p. 4, Marget ibid. p. 4, BarnstapleBap p. 8, Margett ibid. p. 8, StNick-Sf p. 2; 1554 Margaret BarnstapleBap p. 8, StAnthonlin p. 10, bruton-vol1 p. 2, Margarett ibid. p. 2, Margery StAnthonlin p. 10, bruton-vol1 p. 2, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 8, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 5; 1554/5 Margret ibid. p. 5; 1554 Margrett ibid. p. 5; 1555 Margaret BarnstapleBap p. 9, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 27, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 5, bruton-vol1 p. 27, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 9; 1556 Margaret StAnthonlin p. 11, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 27, Marget BarnstapleBap p. 9; 1556/7 Margett BEmar-vol1 p. 5; 1556 Margrett ibid. p. 5; 1557 Margaret BarnstapleBap p. 10, Margarett ibid. p. 10, bruton-vol1 p. 28, Margery StAnthonlin p. 11, bruton-vol1 p. 2, Margett BEmar-vol1 p. 6; 1558/9 Margaret DU-DSMMar; 1558 Margaret SaxhamSf p. 129, StAnthonlin p. 12, Margarett SaxhamSf p. 131, bruton-vol1 p. 2, Margery StAnthonlin p. 12, bruton-vol1 p. 3; 1558–9 Margaret StMary-Ke p. 3; 1559 Magrett DU-DSMMar, Margaret BarnstapleBap p. 10, SOmar-vol9 p. 2, Margarett ibid. p. 2, bruton-vol1 p. 3, Margery ibid. p. 3, Margeryt BarnstapleBap p. 10; 1559/60 Margett BEmar-vol1 p. 6; 1559 Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 80, Margrett BEmar-vol1 p. 6, DU-DSMMar; 1560 Margaret BUmar-vol2 p. 60, DU-DSMMar, Redruth-Co p. 6, SOmar-vol9 p. 2, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 3, Margeret BarnstapleBap p. 10, Margery StAnthonlin p. 13, Marget BEmar-vol1 p. 6, Margret DU-DSMMar, Margrett ibid.; 1561 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 29, BUmar-vol1 p. 1, OrpingtonKe p. 1, SaxhamSf p. 39, StAnthonlin p. 14, Margarete OrpingtonKe p. 1, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 3, Margerett BarnstapleBap p. 11, Margery BUmar-vol9 p. 3, DEmar-vol1 p. 80; 1562 Margaratt BarnstapleBap p. 12, Margaret ibid. p. 12, COmar-vol2 p. 47, Redruth-Co p. 6, StAnthonlin p. 14, Margarett BarnstapleBap p. 12, bruton-vol1 p. 32, Margertt BarnstapleBap p. 11; 1562/3 Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 7; 1562 Margery BUmar-vol9 p. 3, COmar-vol2 p. 47, DEmar-vol1 p. 80, Redruth-Co p. 6, bruton-vol1 p. 32, Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 81; 1562/3 Margrett BEmar-vol1 p. 7; 1563 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 29, SaxhamSf p. 1, Margery StAnthonlin p. 16, Marget BEmar-vol1 p. 7, Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 81; 1564 Margaret BUmar-vol9 p. 4, OrpingtonKe p. 2, StAnthonlin p. 17, Margerie BEmar-vol2 p. 2, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 8, BEmar-vol2 p. 95, Margett BEmar-vol1 p. 8; 1565 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 128, StAnthonlin p. 17, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 34, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 8, bruton-vol1 p. 4, Marget BEmar-vol1 p. 8, Margret CAmar-vol1 p. 2; 1566 Margaret OrpingtonKe, SaxhamSf p. 2, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 5, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 8, Redruth-Co p. 6, StAnthonlin p. 18, bruton-vol1 p. 35, Margett BEmar-vol1 p. 8, Margreate BEmar-vol2 p. 30; 1567 Margaret BUmar-vol9 p. 4, OrpingtonKe p. 2, StAnthonlin p. 18, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 5, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 8, BUmar-vol9 p. 4, DEmar-vol1 p. 81, Redruth-Co p. 6, Margett BEmar-vol1 p. 8; 1568 Margaret SaxhamSf p. 2, StAnthonlin p. 19, Margarett BUmar-vol1 p. 25, bruton-vol1 p. 37, Margerie BEmar-vol2 p. 95, Margery bruton-vol1 p. 5, Margret BEmar-vol2 p. 69; 1569 Margaret ibid. p. 129, BUmar-vol9 p. 4, SaxhamSf p. 2, StAnthonlin p. 20, Margarett BEmar-vol2 p. 2, BUmar-vol1 p. 25, bruton-vol1 p. 5, Margery COmar-vol2 p. 69, bruton-vol1 p. 38, Margret BEmar-vol2 p. 69, CAmar-vol1 p. 2; 1570 Margaret SaxhamSf p. 39, StAnthonlin p. 20, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 6, Margerie COmar-vol2 p. 48, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 9, COmar-vol2 p. 48, StAnthonlin p. 21; 1570/1 Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 9; 1571 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 95, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 6, Margery ibid. p. 39, Margerye BEmar-vol2 p. 129, Margret CAmar-vol1 p. 2; 1572 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 69, BUmar-vol9 p. 5, StAnthonlin p. 22, Margery ibid. p. 22, bruton-vol1 p. 6, Margret SaxhamSf p. 2; 1573 Margaret BUmar-vol9 p. 5, COmar-vol2 p. 48, StAnthonlin p. 23, Margarett BEmar-vol2 p. 2, bruton-vol1 p. 6, Margery ibid. p. 41, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 9; 1574 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 30, DEmar-vol1 p. 83, SaxhamSf p. 56, StAnthonlin p. 24, Margery bruton-vol1 p. 6; 1575 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 69, SaxhamSf p. 3, StAnthonlin p. 24, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 7, Margery BUmar-vol2 p. 62, bruton-vol1 p. 7, Margeryt BUmar-vol1 p. 25, Margreate CAmar-vol1 p. 3, Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 83; 1576 Margaret BUmar-vol9 p. 6, OrpingtonKe p. 4, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 7, Margreat BEmar-vol2 p. 30, Margret CAmar-vol1 p. 3; 1577 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 30, SaxhamSf p. 39, StAnthonlin p. 25, Margery OrpingtonKe p. 5; 1578 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 96, BUmar-vol9 p. 6, Margerie COmar-vol2 p. 48, Margerye BEmar-vol2 p. 129, Margret CAmar-vol1 p. 3, DEmar-vol1 p. 84; 1579 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 129, COmar-vol2 p. 48, StAnthonlin p. 27, Margery ibid. p. 27, Margerye COmar-vol2 p. 48, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 10, Margrett ibid. p. 10; 1580 Margaret BUmar-vol9 p. 6, CAmar-vol1 p. 129, COmar-vol2 p. 48, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 7, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 10; 1581 Margaret CAmar-vol1 p. 129, DEmar-vol2 p. 6, SaxhamSf p. 3, StAnthonlin p. 28, Margery DEmar-vol1 p. 84, DEmar-vol2 p. 7, Marget StAnthonlin p. 28; 1582 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 7, StAnthonlin p. 28, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 7, Margerie DEmar-vol2 p. 8, Margery ibid. p. 7; 1583 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 69, DEmar-vol2 p. 8, OrpingtonKe p. 6, Margarey DEmar-vol2 p. 9, Margerie BEmar-vol2 p. 96, OrpingtonKe p. 6, Margery DEmar-vol2 p. 9, StAnthonlin p. 30, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 11, CAmar-vol1 p. 3; 1584 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 9, StMary-Ke p. iv, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 45, Margerit BEmar-vol1 p. 12, Margery DEmar-vol2 p. 10, OrpingtonKe p. 7; 1584/5 Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 12; 1584 Margret ibid. p. 12; 1585 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 130, BUmar-vol9 p. 7, DEmar-vol2 p. 11, OrpingtonKe p. 7, StAnthonlin p. 31, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 8, Margerie BEmar-vol2 p. 69, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 12, DEmar-vol2 p. 11, StAnthonlin p. 31, Margreat BEmar-vol2 p. 31, Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 85; 1586 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 130, BUmar-vol9 p. 7, DEmar-vol2 p. 12, SaxhamSf p. 40, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 46, Margery BEmar-vol2 p. 96, DEmar-vol2 p. 12, Margreat BEmar-vol2 p. 31, Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 85; 1587/8 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 54; 1587 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 12, StAnthonlin p. 32, bruton-vol1 p. 48, Margarett ibid. p. 8, Margery BUmar-vol1 p. 26, DEmar-vol2 p. 13, Marget SaxhamSf p. 4, Margret CAmar-vol1 p. 4; 1588 Margaret BUmar-vol2 p. 141, DEmar-vol2 p. 15, StAnthonlin p. 32, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 8, Margerie BEmar-vol1 p. 12, BEmar-vol2 p. 3, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 13, COmar-vol2 p. 23, DEmar-vol2 p. 16, StAnthonlin p. 32, bruton-vol1 p. 48, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 13; 1589 Margaret BUmar-vol9 p. 7, DEmar-vol2 p. 17, StAnthonlin p. 33, bruton-vol1 p. 48, Margarett COmar-vol2 p. 23, bruton-vol1 p. 9; 1589/90 Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 14; 1589 Margery CAmar-vol1 p. 130, COmar-vol2 p. 49, DEmar-vol2 p. 17, bruton-vol1 p. 9; 1589/90 Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 13; 1589 Margret ibid. p. 13, DEmar-vol1 p. 86; 1590 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 54, BUmar-vol2 p. 141, BUmar-vol9 p. 7, DEmar-vol2 p. 20, StAnthonlin p. 34, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 49, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 14, CAmar-vol1 p. 4, DEmar-vol2 p. 20, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 14, DEmar-vol1 p. 86; 1591 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 23, SaxhamSf p. 4, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 9, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 14, BEmar-vol2 p. 31, DEmar-vol1 p. 86, DEmar-vol2 p. 22, bruton-vol1 p. 50, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 14; 1592 Margaret BUmar-vol9 p. 8, DEmar-vol2 p. 24, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 51, Margary BEmar-vol2 p. 69, Margeritt BUmar-vol1 p. 27, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 15, DEmar-vol2 p. 24; 1592/3 Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 15; 1592 Margret DEmar-vol1 p. 86; 1593 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 26, SaxhamSf p. 4, StAnthonlin p. 36, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 52, Margery CAmar-vol1 p. 5, COmar-vol2 p. 49, DEmar-vol1 p. 87, DEmar-vol2 p. 26, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 15, CAmar-vol1 p. 5; 1594 Margaret BEmar-vol2 p. 131, BUmar-vol9 p. 8, DEmar-vol2 p. 28, SaxhamSf p. 57, StAnthonlin p. 37, Margery BUmar-vol9 p. 8, DEmar-vol2 p. 28, StAnthonlin p. 36, bruton-vol1 p. 10; 1595 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 30, SaxhamSf p. 5, StAnthonlin p. 37, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 10, Margery DEmar-vol2 p. 31, bruton-vol1 p. 54, Margret CAmar-vol1 p. 5; 1596 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 34, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 11, Margery DEmar-vol2 p. 34, StAnthonlin p. 38, bruton-vol1 p. 11, Margret CAmar-vol1 p. 6; 1597 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 36, SaxhamSf p. 5, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 11, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 16; 1597/8 Margery ibid. p. 17; 1597 Margery DEmar-vol2 p. 35, bruton-vol1 p. 11, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 16; 1598 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 37, Margarett bruton-vol1 p. 11, Margery BEmar-vol1 p. 17, BEmar-vol2 p. 31, DEmar-vol1 p. 87, DEmar-vol2 p. 37, Marget SaxhamSf p. 40, Margret BEmar-vol2 p. 31; 1599 Margaret DEmar-vol2 p. 40, Margarett StAnthonlin p. 39, Margerett ibid. p. 39, Margery DEmar-vol2 p. 40, Margett StAnthonlin p. 39, Margret BEmar-vol1 p. 17
France
Latin
1135 Margarita (nom) clairvaux-12thc 7; 1147 Margarita (nom) ibid. 15; 1147x1162 Margareta (nom) ibid. 52, Margarita (abl) ibid. 52; a1163 Margareta (abl) ibid. 98; 1163–64 Margareta (nom) ibid. 106, Margarete (gen) ibid. 106, Margarita (abl) ibid. 110; 1164 Margareta (nom) ibid. 120, Margarete (gen) ibid. 120, Margarita (abl) ibid. 121; 1188 Margareta (nom) CartNDdOurscamp XCIV; 1200 Margereta (abl) ibid. LXXVII; 1301 Margarita (nom) MemPic-vol17 p. 248, Margarite (gen) ibid. p. 224; 1378 Margareta (nom) hanquetvol1 534, Margaretam (acc) ibid. 1240, Margarete (gen) ibid. 538
1236 Marga (nom) CartNDdOurscamp CXXVI, Margam (acc) ibid. CXXVI; 1301 Marga (nom) MemPic-vol17 p. 199, Marge (gen) ibid. p. 177
Old French
1296 Marguerite paris1296 p. 4; 1313 Margarite Paris1313 p. 20, Marguerite ibid. p. 7, Margueritte ibid. p. 22
1296 Marguerot paris1296 p. 18
Middle French
1392 Marguerite MemBret-II col. 616; 1421 Margot favier 73, Marguerite ibid. 484; 1423 Marguerite ibid. 317; 1595 Marguerite Toureille
Germany
Latin
1257 Maigareta (abl) quix-vol1 114
Early New High German
1403 Margareten (dat) mairhofer DCLXXV, Margret (nom) ibid. DCLXXV; 1411 Margreten (dat) ibid. DCXCIV; 1497 Margett Nurn1497 2698, Margret ibid. 2019, Margreth ibid. 55
Italy
Latin
1265x1339 Malgarita (nom) BBC-Berg 295, Margarita (nom) ibid. 107; 1527 Margarita (nom) Rome1527 p. 87
Scotland
Latin
1384 Margareta (nom) CartLevenax p. 7, Margarete (gen) ibid. p. 7; 1385 Marioriam (acc) morton-vol1 8, Mariorie (gen) ibid. 8; 1387 Margareta (nom) CartLevenax p. 9, Margarete (gen) ibid. p. 9; 1390–1406 Marioria (nom) morton-vol1 12, Mariorie (gen) ibid. 12; 1393 Marioriam (acc) ibid. 11, Marjoria (abl) ibid. 11
Spain
Latin
1488 Margarita (nom) carbonell p. 18; 1490 Margarita (nom) ibid. p. 48
Catalan
1510 Margalida valencia1510 3623, Margarita ibid. 3246
Sweden
Old Swedish
1383 Margareta SRA-vol2 no. 1944, Marghet ibid. no. 1945, Mæritta ibid. no. 1905
1383 Greta SRA-vol2 no. 1930
Switzerland
Latin
14thCx1478 Marguereta (nom) Ob-SPVn (94)
14thCx1478 Margueron (nom) Ob-SPVn (120), Margueta (nom) ibid. (148)
Preview. DO NOT cite as: N. Shiel, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Margaret". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2015, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2015/1/name/Margaret.