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Discussion
Bibliography
Forms
Distribution Map
Property List
People of this Name
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Leofgifu
Female
DWP
4 of 5
Discussion of the name
Leofgifu is an Old English feminine name comprising the elements lēof ‘dear’ and gifu ‘gift’.There are five entries in the PASE corpus, of whom of whom Leofgifu 1-3 occur in pre-Domesday contexts (cf. seven such occurrences in Searle 1897: 327-8); Leofgifu 4 is a catch-all for occurrences in DB; and Leofgifu 5 is the TRE abbess of Shaftesbury, profiled below. Despite this apparently low frequency, however, women are generally under-reported in pre-Conquest sources and the elements lēof and gifu are common in the formation of other OE personal names. The PASE corpus and the distribution of estates recorded or inferred as held TRE by women called Leofgifu in DB suggest that this name was fairly common but was used mainly in the southern and eastern counties.
Bibliography
Searle 1897: W. G. Searle, Onomasticon Anglo-Saxonicum: A List of Anglo-Saxon Proper Names from the Time of Beda to that of King John (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1897)von Feilitzen 1937: Olof von Feilitzen, The Pre-Conquest Personal Names of Domesday Book, Nomina Germanica 3 (Uppsala: Almqvist and Wiksells, 1937)
Forms of the name
Spellings in Domesday Book: Leuefa, Leueua, LeueueForms in modern scholarship:
von Feilitzen head forms: Leofgifu
Phillimore edition: Leofeva
Alecto edition: Leofgifu
Distribution map of property and lordships associated with this name in DB
List of property and lordships associated with this name in DB
Holder 1066
| Shire | Phil. ref. | Vill | DB Spelling | Holder 1066 | Lord 1066 | Tenant-in-Chief 1086 | 1086 Subtenant | Fiscal Value | 1066 Value | 1086 Value | Conf. | Show on Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | 23,17 | Aspley Guise | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Aspley' | Waltheof, earl | Hugh de Beauchamp | Acard d'Ivry | 10.00 | 10.00 | 8.00 | D | Map |
| Bedfordshire | 53,8 | Bletsoe | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Aspley' | Edward, king | Judith, countess | Osbern de Breuil | 2.50 | 3.00 | 3.00 | D | Map |
| Berkshire | 15,2 | Reading | Leueua | Leofgifu, abbess of Reading | Edward, king | Gausbert, abbot of Battle | - | 8.00 | 9.00 | 11.00 | C | Map |
| Berkshire | 42,1 | South Denchworth | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Denchworth' | - | Robert of Stafford | Laurence 'of Denchworth' | 6.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | D | Map |
| Cambridgeshire | 14,25 | Croydon | Leueue | Leofgifu 'of Arrington' | Eadgifu the fair | Alan, count | Fulcwig 'of Arrington' | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | A | Map |
| Cambridgeshire | 14,45 | Arrington | Leueue | Leofgifu 'of Arrington' | Eadgifu the fair | Alan, count | Fulcwig 'of Arrington' | 0.50 | 1.00 | 0.50 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,1 | Sixpenny Handley | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | 2 free Englishmen | 4.00 | 2.40 | 2.40 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,1 | Sixpenny Handley | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 16.00 | 9.60 | 9.60 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,10 | Wareham | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | William, king | - | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,10 | Kingston | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | William de Briouze | 0.25 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,10 | Kingston | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 14.75 | 16.00 | 23.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,11 | Farnham | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | unnamed wife of Hugh fitzGrip | 0.50 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,11 | Farnham | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Aiulf | 0.50 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,12 | Stoke Wake | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 5.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,13 | Mapperton | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 11.00 | 1.50 | 5.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,2 | Hinton St Mary | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 8.00 | 8.00 | 10.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,4 | Fontmell Magna | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 15.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,5 | Compton Abbas | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,6 | Melbury Abbas | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 10.00 | 9.00 | 13.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,7 | Iwerne Minster | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 18.00 | 10.00 | 14.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,8 | Tarrant Hinton | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 10.00 | 6.00 | 10.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 19,9 | Fifehead St Quintin | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Ketil 'of Kington' | 5.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | A | Map |
| Dorset | 49,1 | Blandford St Mary | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Blandford' | - | Aiulf the sheriff | - | 1.50 | 1.00 | 1.50 | E | Map |
| Dorset | B4 | Shaftesbury | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | William, king | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | 0.00 | 3.25 | 3.25 | A | Map |
| Essex | 18,24 | Aldham | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Aldham' | - | Odo, bishop of Bayeux | unnamed wife of Aubrey de Vere | 0.96 | 1.50 | 3.00 | E | Map |
| Essex | 23,29 | Bures | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Bures' | - | Richard fitzGilbert | - | 0.33 | 1.50 | 1.50 | E | Map |
| Essex | 28,15 | Kelvedon Hatch | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Kelvedon' | - | Hamon the steward | Ralph de Marcy | 1.38 | 1.50 | 1.75 | E | Map |
| Essex | 33,4 | Woodham Walter | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Woodham' | - | Ralph Baynard | Theodric Pointel | 7.00 | 8.00 | 7.00 | D | Map |
| Hertfordshire | 1,12 | Wellbury | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Lilley' | Harold, earl | William, king | 1 sokeman | 1.00 | 3.00 | 1.33 | B | Map |
| Hertfordshire | 1,6 | Kings Waldon | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Lilley' | Harold, earl | William, king | - | 1.00 | 10.00 | 8.00 | B | Map |
| Hertfordshire | 34,12 | Lilley | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Lilley' | Harold, earl | Geoffrey de Bec | - | 4.13 | 5.78 | 4.13 | B | Map |
| Hertfordshire | 37,21 | Little Berkhamsted | Leuefa | Leofgifu, widow, 'of Little Berkhamsted' | - | Hardwin de Scales | - | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | C | Map |
| Huntingdonshire | D2 | Huntingdon | Leueue | Leofgifu, wife of Ælfric the sheriff | - | - | - | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | D | Map |
| Kent | 5,97 | Wateringbury | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Wateringbury' | Edward, king | Odo, bishop of Bayeux | Ralph fitzTurold | 4.00 | 2.00 | 6.00 | D | Map |
| Lincolnshire | 68,48 | Nettleton | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Nettleton' | - | Leofgifu 'of Nettleton' | - | 0.63 | 1.00 | 0.25 | A | Map |
| Somerset | 14,1 | Abbas Combe | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 5.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | A | Map |
| Suffolk | 15,3 | Toppesfield | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Toppesfield' | Stigand, archbishop of Canterbury | Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury | unnamed monks of Christ Church, Canterbury, in 1086 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 3.00 | E | Map |
| Suffolk | 16,20 | Coddenham | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Finesford' | Wulfric, abbot of Ely | Odo, bishop of Bayeux | - | 0.08 | 0.20 | 0.20 | E | Map |
| Suffolk | 16,48 | Aspall | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Finesford' | Wulfric, abbot of Ely | Odo, bishop of Bayeux | Roger Bigod | 0.17 | 0.20 | 0.20 | E | Map |
| Suffolk | 21,70 | Finesford | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Finesford' | Wulfric, abbot of Ely | Simeon, abbot of Ely | - | 0.33 | 0.30 | 0.30 | E | Map |
| Suffolk | 32,9 | Charsfield | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Charsfield' | Healfdene 'of Thorington' | Geoffrey de Mandeville | - | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.50 | E | Map |
| Sussex | 8a,1 | Felpham | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 21.00 | 10.00 | 20.00 | A | Map |
| Sussex | 9,84 | Henhurst | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Henhurst' | - | Robert, count of Eu | William 'the man of Robert, count of Eu' | 0.50 | 1.00 | 1.00 | C | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,2 | Tisbury | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Edward of Salisbury | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,2 | Tisbury | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Aubrey 'of Tisbury' | 2.00 | 3.25 | 3.25 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,2 | Tisbury | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Gunfrid Mauduit | 3.00 | 4.88 | 4.88 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,2 | Tisbury | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Thurstan the chamberlain | 3.00 | 4.88 | 4.88 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,2 | Tisbury | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 16.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,3 | Donhead | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 33.00 | 22.00 | 22.00 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,4 | Alvestone | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 7.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,4 | Bradford on Avon | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 42.00 | 60.00 | 60.00 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,5 | Liddington | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 38.00 | 18.00 | 22.00 | A | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,6 | Dinton | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | - | 18.00 | 18.00 | 18.00 | - | Map |
| Totals | ||||||||||||
Tenant-in-Chief 1086 demesne estates (no subtenants)
| Shire | Phil. ref. | Vill | DB Spelling | Holder 1066 | Lord 1066 | Tenant-in-Chief 1086 | 1086 Subtenant | Fiscal Value | 1066 Value | 1086 Value | Conf. | Show on Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 68,48 | Nettleton | Leueua | Leofgifu 'of Nettleton' | - | Leofgifu 'of Nettleton' | - | 0.63 | 1.00 | 0.25 | - | Map |
| Suffolk | 74,13 | Claydon | Leueua | - | - | Leofgifu 'of Claydon' | - | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.07 | D | Map |
| Warwickshire | 43,1 | Salford Priors | Leveve | Godgifu, wife of Earl Leofric | - | Leofgifu the nun | - | 3.00 | 2.00 | 6.00 | - | Map |
| Totals | ||||||||||||
Lord 1066
| Shire | Phil. ref. | Vill | DB Spelling | Holder 1066 | Lord 1066 | Tenant-in-Chief 1086 | 1086 Subtenant | Fiscal Value | 1066 Value | 1086 Value | Conf. | Show on Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorset | 55,21 | Farnham | - | Alwine 'of Farnham' | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | unnamed wife of Hugh fitzGrip | Ilbert 'of Farnham' | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.50 | B | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,1 | Beechingstoke | - | Hearding son of Eadnoth | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Thurstan the chamberlain | 5.00 | 3.00 | 5.00 | B | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,3 | Donhead | - | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Thurstan the chamberlain | 6.00 | 8.57 | 8.57 | B | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,3 | Donhead | - | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | 1 thegn | 1.00 | 1.43 | 1.43 | B | Map |
| Wiltshire | 12,6 | Dinton | - | - | Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury | Eulalia, abbess of Shaftesbury | Gunfrid Mauduit | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | B | Map |
| Totals | ||||||||||||
Subtenant in 1086
| Shire | Phil. ref. | Vill | DB Spelling | Holder 1066 | Lord 1066 | Tenant-in-Chief 1086 | 1086 Subtenant | Fiscal Value | 1066 Value | 1086 Value | Conf. | Show on Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire | B6 | Wallingford | Leueua | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu 'of Wallingford' | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | - | Map |
| Essex | B3a | Colchester | Leueua | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu, burgess 'of Colchester' | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | - | Map |
| Essex | B3a | Colchester | Leueua | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu, burgess 'of Colchester' | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.00 | - | Map |
| Essex | B3a | Colchester | Leueua | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu, burgess 'of Colchester' | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | - | Map |
| Essex | B3a | Colchester | Leffiuf | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu, burgess 'of Colchester' | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | - | Map |
| Essex | B3a | Colchester | Leueua | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu, burgess 'of Colchester' | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | - | Map |
| Oxfordshire | B10 | Oxford | Leueua | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu 'of Oxford' | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | - | Map |
| Oxfordshire | B10 | Oxford | Leueua | - | - | William, king | Leofgifu 'of Oxford' | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.00 | - | Map |
| Somerset | 2,7 | Taunton | Leueua | - | Stigand, archbishop of Canterbury | Walkelin, bishop of Winchester | Leofgifu 'of Taunton' | 2.00 | 1.00 | 2.00 | - | Map |
| Warwickshire | 17,47 | Little Lawford | Leueua | Alwine the sheriff | - | Thorkil of Warwick | Leofgifu 'of Little Lawford' | 2.00 | 1.00 | 0.53 | - | Map |
| Totals | ||||||||||||
People of this name
- Leofgifu 5 - Leofgifu, abbess of Shaftesbury, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 6 - Leofgifu, abbess of Reading, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 7 - Leofgifu ‘of Nettleton’, fl. 1066x1086
- Leofgifu 8 - Leofgifu ‘of Arrington’ (Cambridgeshire), fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 9 - Leofgifu ‘of Lilley’ (Hertfordshire), fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 10 - Leofgifu ‘of Woodham’ (Essex), fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 11 - Leofgifu ‘of Aspley’ (Bedfordshire), fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 12 - Leofgifu ‘of Blandford’ (Dorset), fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 13 - Leofgifu ‘of Denchworth’ (Berkshire), fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 14 - Leofgifu ‘of Toppesfield’ (Essex), fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 15 - Leofgifu ‘wife of Ælfric the Sheriff’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 16 - Leofgifu, widow, ‘of Little Berkhamsted’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 17 - Leofgifu ‘of Aldham’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 18 - Leofgifu ‘of Kelvedon’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 19 - Leofgifu ‘of Wateringbury’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 20 - Leofgifu ‘of Henhurst’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 21 - Leofgifu ‘of Finesford’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 22 - Leofgifu ‘of Charsfield’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 23 - Leofgifu ‘of Bures’, fl. 1066
- Leofgifu 24 - Leofgifu ‘of Claydon’, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 25 - Leofgifu the nun, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 26 - Leofgifu ‘of Nettleton’, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 27 - Leofgifu ‘of Little Lawford’, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 28 - Leofgifu ‘of Taunton’, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 29 - Leofgifu ‘of Oxford’, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 30 - Leofgifu, burgess ‘of Colchester’, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 31 - Leofgifu ‘of Wallingford’, fl. 1086
- Leofgifu 32 - ‘of Huntefelde’ (Suffolk), fl. 1086