Medieval Catalan

Compiled by Alex Fradera

Catalonia, a territory of Spain falling between Valencia to the South, Aragon to the West, France to the North and the Mediterranean to the East, developed as a culture during the rule of the Counts of Barcelona in the 9th Century, and leaving the French kingdom in the 13th. It was a thriving area of the Mediterranean with its own distinctive flavour.

Catalan is a language with much common to both French and Spanish, and sounds a little like a less lyrical Italian. Like French, J and G are both soft, and C can be also; however, the words do not end silently and the emphasis / pacing of the words is similar to Spanish.

Modern Catalan employs the combination of paternal and maternal names (in that order) seen also in Spanish, separated by a y. However, it may be that this practise was imported from Spanish tradition and law as I have not found any medieval names that follow this pattern.

Male Forenames (15th Century)

  1. Francesc
  2. Bernat
  3. Joan
  4. Carles
  5. Llorenç
  6. Vicens
  7. Narcís
  8. Benet
  9. Bartomeu
  10. Gaspar
  11. Andreu
  12. Jaume
  13. Pere
  14. Mateu
  15. Gil
  16. Jacme
  17. Martí
  18. Miquel
  19. Nicolau
  20. Celdoni

Male Forenames (12th Century)

  1. Alfons
  2. Arnau
  3. Berenguer
  4. Bertran
  5. Bonadona
  6. Calvet
  7. Dalmu
  8. Dolcet
  9. Ferrer
  10. Gilabert
  11. Guillem
  12. Hug
  13. Miró
  14. Olivar
  15. Pere
  16. Perpinyà
  17. Ponç
  18. Ricart
  19. Seguinus
  20. Vidal

Female Forenames

  1. Tecla
  2. Beatriu*
  3. Geralla*
  4. Anglesa*
  5. Aldinícia
  6. Bartomeua
  7. Brígida
  8. Caterina
  9. Elionor
  10. Elisabet
  11. Eufràsia
  12. Eulàlia
  13. Francina
  14. Jaumeta
  15. Joana
  16. Margarida
  17. Maria
  18. Miquela
  19. Samuela
  20. Segimona

*NB These are 12th Century names, the rest are 15th - female names are underdocumented in the historical record.

Surnames (12th Century)

  1. Amalric
  2. Berenguer
  3. de Villagut
  4. d’Eures
  5. de Rodes
  6. Bofill
  7. Coqui
  8. de Giró
  9. de la Sclusa
  10. Amat
  11. Baró
  12. de Muntanyola
  13. Salamó
  14. de Sargantans
  15. Domènec
  16. Ermengol
  17. Foget
  18. de Montrodon
  19. Guifre
  20. Sumar

Surnames (15th Century) 1

  1. Fisnerola
  2. Queralt
  3. Colom
  4. Dardarich
  5. Puig
  6. Gorgoll
  7. Canyelles
  8. de Cubells
  9. Prat
  10. Mateu
  11. Esteve
  12. Domènech
  13. Fontanills
  14. Palau
  15. Paguer
  16. Carbó
  17. Vilagrassa
  18. Muntargull
  19. Obradors
  20. Nabet

Surnames (15th Century) 2

  1. Rofreo
  2. Roca
  3. Paguer
  4. Pariquet
  5. Moreu
  6. Torner
  7. Guiscart
  8. Torens
  9. Sala
  10. Parés
  11. Mas
  12. Gilabert
  13. Llorens
  14. Rossolló
  15. Bosens
  16. Lió
  17. Barberà
  18. Goscemps
  19. Reguera
  20. Roca

12th Century Place Names

  1. Balsareny
  2. Burgos
  3. Collo de Infurcatos
  4. Enrens
  5. Frontenyà
  6. Guiardia
  7. Lanars
  8. Liza
  9. Miravet
  10. Mulist
  11. Pinós
  12. Prat
  13. Quer
  14. Ripoll
  15. Roca
  16. Roses
  17. Sala Cugulada
  18. Serra
  19. Tarragona
  20. Valle

Counts of Barcelona

  1. Berà (801-820)
  2. Rampó (820-826)
  3. Bernat (826-832)
  4. Berenguer (832-835)
  5. Bernat (836-844)
  6. Sunifred I (844-848)
  7. Guillem (848-850)
  8. Aleran (850-852)
  9. Isembart (850-852)
  10. Odalric (852-858)
  11. Humfrid (858-864)
  12. Bernat (865-878)
  13. Guifré I el Pelós (the Hairy) (878-897)
  14. Borrell (948-992)
  15. Ramon Borrell (992-1018)
  16. Berenguer Ramon I el Corbat (the Crooked) (1018-1035)
  17. Ramon Berenguer I el Vell (the Old) (1035-1076)
  18. Ramon Berenguer II el Cap d’Estopes (the Towhead) (1076-1082)
  19. Berenguer Ramon II el Fratricida (the Fratricide) (1076-1097)
  20. Ramon Berenguer III (I of Provence) el Gran (the Great) (1082-1131)