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To: GoLightly
Actually, Bridget is now considered Irish, but originally Brigid was Irish and Birgitt was Swedish. It's highly confusing because there's a 14th c. St. Bridget (Birgitta) of Sweden (she was a daughter of a noble family and founder of the Brigettine Sisters) and also a 6th c. Irish St. Bridget (Brigid) who was a friend of St. Patrick and founded the convent of Kildare.

Since spelling was something most folks didn't take seriously until the 19th century, confusion is rampant!

96 posted on 02/27/2008 5:26:54 AM PST by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
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To: AnAmericanMother
So, how’s we end up with a picture of a German shield maiden named Bridgett? LOL

You’re right about people’s varied spellings. There weren’t many “standards” until the advent of the dictionary. The first English dictionary wasn’t produced until the eighteenth century.

Standard spellings for names came even later, into the twentieth century & Scandinavians change their names at the drop of a hat. Even with all of the spelling changes, I've yet to come across any "Bridgett" among all of my Scandinavians.

97 posted on 02/27/2008 7:31:19 AM PST by GoLightly
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