The Latinisation of names in the vernacular was a procedure deemed necessary for the sake of conformity by scribes and authors when incorporating references to such persons in Latin texts. The procedure was used in the era of the Roman Republic and Empire. It was used continuously by the Papacy from the earliest times, in religious tracts and in diplomatic and legal documents. It was used by the early European monasteries. Following the Norman Conquest of England, it was used by the Anglo-Norman clerics and scribes when drawing up charters. Its use was revived in the Renaissance when the new learning was written down in Latin and drew much on the work of Greek, Arabic and other non-Latin ancient authors. Contemporary Italian and European scholars also needed to be Latinised to be quoted in such treatises. The different eras produced their own styles and peculiarities. Sophistication was the trademark of the Renaissance Latinisers. The Anglo-Norman scribes on the other hand were not so learned, and often simply translated the vernacular name into Latin words based on similar sounds, without much effort to make sense or to avoid absurdity, which produced some strange results.
Coined in era of Imperial Rome
Iesus, Iesus Nazarenus, Iesus Christus (Yĕhošūa‘) Elagabalus (Varius Avitus Bassianus, after god Elagabal)
Coined in the Early Middle Ages
Alphonsus (various rulers named Alfonso) Augustinus Cantuariensis (Augustine of Canterbury) Brocardus (Burchard) Clovis (Clodovech, Frankish King) Carolus Magnus (Karl) Mahomet or Mahometus (Muhammad) Moses Maimonides (Moshe ben Maimon) Odoacer (Audawakrs) Caecilius (Aksel)
Coined in the High Middle Ages
Anselmus Cantuariensis (Anselmo d'Aosta) Guido Aretinus (Guido d'Arezzo)
Coined in the Late Middle Ages
Thomas Aquinas (Tommaso d'Aquino) Duns Scotus (John Duns)
Coined in the Renaissance and onwards
Humanist names with Latin and Greek elements
In central European circles of academia and ecclesial writers, a specific practice of Latinisation arose during the 15th century with the rediscovery of ancient literature. Thereby writers would seek connection to the ancient writers by taking up surnames or international pen names. We encounter names that follow naming conventions of those ancient languages, especially Latin and Greek, so the occasional Greek names for the same function are also included here.
Especially in the German-speaking regions the use of a “Humanistenname” or “Gelehrtenname” was common for many an academic, cleric, and secular administrative who wished to ascend in societal rank. The other region where the practice became equally common was 1600s Scandinavia and the Swedish Baltic colonies where this practice was called 'lärda namn' or 'humanistnamn'. Further reasons for assuming such internationally recognisable names, especially in Scandinavia, included leaving agrarian conditions behind and embracing an urban and cosmopolitan way of life. Some academics never had a surname nor a patronymic surname as per their region of origin. However, academics came to Central European universities from all corners of Europe, with surnames from rare languages, so clarity in distinguishing students was necessary. Some Latinizations and Grecizations are exact vernacular translations of profession surnames or dwelling names, but others seem to bear no known connection or resemblance. Humanist names reached varying degrees of stability and heritability, and some exist to this day.
Recent articles and dissertation by Daniel Kroiß have systematically categorized the origin of Humanist names and their declension patterns in the German and Dutch speaking regions. Some humanist names derived from common professions as replacements of the vernacular term, and were found throughout Central European university cities. They included:
Some humanist surnames that were not clearly based on profession or location included:
Other sources of English Latinized names
The Complete Peerage (1913) states concerning the Latinization of English names: "When a clerk had to render a name in a charter he usually sought for the nearest Latin equivalent, sometimes took a correct one, as "de Bello Campo" for "Beauchamp"; sometimes a grotesque one". The latter refers to the mediaeval Anglo-Norman family of Orescuilz, which held amongst others the Somersetshire manor of Sandford Orcas (named after it), whose surname was Latinised as de Aureis Testiculis, from French "Couilles d'Or".