Aki is a masculine name which evidently originated in the Danish islands as a diminutive (Insley 1994: 4, correcting Fellows Jensen 1968: 5). There is no certain example of its use in England before the time of the Danish kings in the eleventh century (Aki 2 = Aki 4): what has been cited as an earlier instance rests on the slender evidence of a possible interpretation of a corrupt and difficult passage in a will of the mid tenth century (Aki 1; S 1526; Whitelock 1930: no. 1).
The place-name evidence can be read as reinforcing the idea that the name was not known in England until quite late in the Anglo-Saxon period, since its only occurrences in major names are in Achebi in Richmondshire (Yorks. 6N:120; Fellows Jensen 1968: 3–5), the Derbyshire hamlet of Oakthorpe (Derb. 14:10; Insley 1994: 4), and the small coastal Suffolk vill of Akethorpe (Suff. 1:56; Insley 1994: 4). All three were low status and conceivably late-founded vills, the first a berewick which did not survive, and the last two with very low assessments in 1086 (6 bovates and 80 acres respectively); none of the three was a vill in 1334 or a parish at any time.
Once introduced, the name may have caught on quickly, since there were probably four TRE landowners, and several dozen persons bearing the name are recorded in twelfth- and early-thirteenth century Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk (Fellows Jensen 1968: 3–5; Insley 1994: 2–4).
Fellows Jensen 1968: Gillian Fellows Jensen, Scandinavian Personal Names in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire (Copenhagen: I Kommission hos Akademisk Forlag, 1968)
Insley 1994: John Insley, Scandinavian Personal Names in Norfolk: A Survey based on Medieval Records and Place-Names, Acta Academiae Regiae Gustavi Adolphi 62 (Uppsala, 1994)
S: P. H. Sawyer, Anglo-Saxon Charters: An Annotated List and Bibliography, Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks 8 (London, 1968), revised by S. Kelly, R. Rushforth et al., The Electronic Sawyer: Online Catalogue of Anglo-Saxon Charters, published online through Kemble: The Anglo-Saxon Charters Website, currently at http://www.esawyer.org.uk/about/index.html
Whitelock 1930: Anglo-Saxon Wills, ed. and trans. Dorothy Whitelock (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1930)
Spellings in Domesday Book: Achi(us); Achil, Aki(us), Anschillus, Aschil
Spellings in ICC: Achillus
Forms in modern scholarship:
von Feilitzen head forms: Aki, Ake
Phillimore edition: Aki
Alecto edition: Aki
Note: The spellings Anschillus and Aschil are erroneous forms when they stand for Achi, as they normally represent the name Eskil.
Shire | Phil. ref. | Vill | Holder 1066 DB Spelling | Holder 1066 | Lord 1066 | Tenant-in-Chief 1086 | 1086 subtenant | Fiscal value | 1066 value | 1086 value | Holder 1066 ID conf. | Show on map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lincolnshire | T5 | Achi | Aki son of Siward | - | - | - | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map | |
Cambridgeshire | 17,5 | Barrington | Achi | Aki the Dane | Harold, earl | Walter Giffard | Walter fitzAubrey | 0.33 | 0.50 | 0.50 | B | Map |
Hertfordshire | 37,22 | Bramfield | Achi | Aki the Dane | Harold, earl | Hardwin de Scales | - | 5.00 | 5.00 | 4.00 | B | Map |
Wiltshire | 24,21 | Broad Blunsdon | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | Edward of Salisbury | Robert 'the man of Edward of Salisbury' | 5.00 | 2.00 | 3.00 | C | Map |
Lincolnshire | CS34 | Coningsby | Achi | Aki son of Siward | - | Ketilbern 'of Keal' | - | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map |
Huntingdonshire | 17,1 | Covington | Aschil | Aki the Dane | - | Roger d'Ivry | - | 8.50 | 8.00 | 10.00 | E | Map |
Suffolk | 66,15 | Finningham | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | - | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map | |
Hertfordshire | 22,1 | Flamstead | Achi | Aki the Dane | Edward, king | Ralph de Tosny | - | 4.00 | 12.00 | 11.00 | B | Map |
Lincolnshire | 38,14 | Fulstow | Aschil | Aki son of Siward | - | Robert the bursar | - | 1.75 | 5.00 | 1.50 | B | Map |
Suffolk | 66,13 | Gislingham | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | - | 0.25 | 0.33 | 0.33 | A | Map |
Northamptonshire | 33,1 | Grafton Underwood | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | Roger 'of Grafton Underwood' | 3.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | A | Map |
Suffolk | 66,3 | Great Ashfield | Achius | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | - | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | A | Map |
Essex | 53,1 | Great Easton | Achius | Aki the Dane | - | Matthew de Mortagne | - | 5.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 | E | Map |
Lincolnshire | 38,13 | Haltham | Achi | Aki son of Siward | - | Robert the bursar | - | 2.25 | 1.50 | 1.50 | A | Map |
Cambridgeshire | 17,4 | Harlton | Achi | Aki the Dane | Edward, king | Walter Giffard | Walter fitzAubrey | 3.50 | 7.00 | 6.13 | B | Map |
Berkshire | 44,4 | Harwell | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | Roger d'Ivry | - | 5.00 | 5.00 | 6.00 | C | Map |
Hertfordshire | B10 | Hertford | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | William, king | Hardwin de Scales | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | B | Map |
Suffolk | 66,1 | Ixworth | Achius | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | - | 3.00 | 4.00 | 6.00 | A | Map |
Middlesex | 17,1 | Laleham | Achi | Aki the Dane | Edward, king | Robert Blund | Estrild the nun | 8.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | A | Map |
Essex | 53,2 | Margaretting | Anschillus | Aki the Dane | - | Matthew de Mortagne | - | 5.00 | 5.00 | 6.00 | E | Map |
Essex | 24,45 | Notley | Achius | Aki the Dane | - | Swein of Essex | Godbald 'of Nayland' | 0.75 | 2.00 | 3.00 | E | Map |
Staffordshire | 1,35 | Oakley | Achi | Aki 'of Walton' | - | William, king | - | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | C | Map |
Cambridgeshire | 17,6 | Orwell | Achi | Aki the Dane | Harold, earl | Walter Giffard | Walter fitzAubrey | 0.25 | 0.14 | 0.10 | B | Map |
Warwickshire | 12,9 | Romsley, Staffs. | Achi | Aki 'of Rushock' | - | Roger, earl | Walter 'the man of Earl Roger' | 1.00 | 1.50 | 2.00 | C | Map |
Worcestershire | 26,6 | Rushock | Achil | Aki 'of Rushock' | - | Urse d'Abetot | Hunulf 'of Rushock' | 5.00 | 2.50 | 1.50 | C | Map |
Wiltshire | 66,7 | Selkley | Achil | Aki the Dane | - | Stephen the carpenter, king's serjeant | - | 3.00 | 1.00 | 2.00 | C | Map |
Lincolnshire | 38,1 | Thornton | Achi | Aki son of Siward | - | Robert the bursar | - | 3.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | A | Map |
Suffolk | 66,2 | Walsham le Willows | Achius | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | - | 2.00 | 2.00 | 3.00 | A | Map |
Staffordshire | 11,8 | Walton | Achil | Aki 'of Walton' | - | Robert of Stafford | Arnold 'of Morton Underhill' | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | C | Map |
Berkshire | 62,1 | West Hendred | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | Grimbald the goldsmith | - | 5.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | C | Map |
Wiltshire | 60,1 | West Lavington | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | - | 2.75 | 4.13 | 3.30 | A | Map |
Wiltshire | 60,1 | West Lavington | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | 2 sons-in-law of Robert Blund | 7.25 | 10.88 | 8.70 | A | Map | |
Suffolk | 6,85 | Westleton | Aki | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Malet | Gilbert Blund | 4.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | C | Map |
Hertfordshire | 20,13 | Westmill | Achi | Aki the Dane | Harold, earl | Robert Gernon | Ansketil 'the man of Robert Gernon' | 7.25 | 20.00 | 17.00 | B | Map |
Huntingdonshire | 19,16 | Winwick | Aschil | Aki the Dane | - | Eustace the sheriff | Odilard the larderer | 2.50 | 2.00 | 2.00 | E | Map |
Northamptonshire | 55,4 | Winwick | Achi | Aki the Dane | - | Eustace the sheriff | Odilard the larderer | 0.50 | 0.50 | 2.00 | E | Map |
Suffolk | 66,4 | Wyken | Akius | Aki the Dane | - | Robert Blund | - | 1.00 | 1.50 | 1.50 | A | Map |
Total | 111.85 | 141.48 | 142.06 |
Shire | Phil. ref. | Vill | Lord 1066 DB Spelling | Holder 1066 | Lord 1066 | Tenant-in-Chief 1086 | 1086 subtenant | Fiscal value | 1066 value | 1086 value | Lord 1066 ID conf. | Show on map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Suffolk | 66,13 | Gislingham | Achius | Ælfgar 'of Gislingham' | Aki the Dane, thegn of Edward, king | Robert Blund | - | 0.15 | 0.26 | 0.26 | A | Map |
Suffolk | 66,13 | Gislingham | Achius | Godric 'of Gislingham' | Aki the Dane, thegn of Edward, king | Robert Blund | - | 0.15 | 0.26 | 0.26 | A | Map |
Suffolk | 66,13 | Gislingham | Achius | Godwine 'of Gislingham' | Aki the Dane, thegn of Edward, king | Robert Blund | - | 0.15 | 0.26 | 0.26 | A | Map |
Suffolk | 66,3 | Great Ashfield | Ketil 'of Great Ashfield' | Aki the Dane, thegn of Edward, king | Robert Blund | William Blund | 1.00 | 1.50 | 1.50 | A | Map | |
Cambridgeshire | 17,4 | Harlton | 4 sokemen, men of Aki the Dane | Aki the Dane, thegn of Edward, king | Walter Giffard | Walter fitzAubrey | 0.38 | 0.75 | 0.66 | B | Map | |
Lincolnshire | 38,2 | Roughton | - | Aki | Robert the bursar | - | 1.50 | 0.00 | 0.00 | A | Map | |
Suffolk | 66,14 | Westhorpe | Achi | 4 free men | Aki the Dane, thegn of Edward, king | Robert Blund | - | 0.04 | 0.07 | 0.07 | A | Map |
Suffolk | 66,16 | Wyverstone | Achi | 2 free men | Aki the Dane, thegn of Edward, king | Robert Blund | Robert Ouethel | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | A | Map |
Total | 3.62 | 3.35 | 3.26 |
Shire | Phil. ref. | Vill | Lord 2 1066 DB Spelling | Holder 1066 | Lord 1066 | Tenant-in-Chief 1086 | 1086 subtenant | Fiscal value | 1066 value | 1086 value | Lord 2 1066 ID conf. | Show on map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Suffolk | 6,57 | Wyverstone | Achius | Ælfric 'of Wyverstone' | Eadric of Laxfield | Robert Malet | Hubert de Mont-Canisy | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | - | Map |
Total | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
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