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What could the familyname PERSYN mean?
The earliest
indication of the name Persijn, is Pieter Persin who is mentioned in the city-accounts
of Kortrijk in 1422-23. He was a guide to visitors to the annual market.
On the 15 February, 1586 'Maykin Persyn gehuwd met Jan de la Royere, zoon van
Pieter, wonende te Cortrijck’ (Maykin Persyn, married to Jan de la Royere,
son of Pieter, living in Cortrijck) is found in the list of citizens of Roeselare.
In the years 1607-1611 Jan Persijn, architect of Kortrijk, builds the late-gothic
jesuit church of Saint-Michael. In 1594 Maertin Persyn of Hondschoote becomes
a non-resident burgher of Bruges. (A non-resident burgher is a citizen of burgher
who lives outside the gates of the city.) In Hondschoote (now in French-Flanders)
lived several Persyns. We ought to mention Franciscus Leander Persyn ‘ren.
van Hondschoote’ in 1741; Joannes Persyn, son of Leandre, is in 1775 recorded
in the book of citizens of Saint-Winoksbergen. In Oostakker in 1709, lived Joos
Persyn and Jacobus Persyn. Thus ends our incomplete list of attestations, in
order to illustrate the spread of the family name.
The name, without variants, could, in theory at least, have the following meaning:
The most likely meaning is found in West-Flanders: persijn as 'parsley', also
Mr. Gysseling, expert in the subject of the meaning of family names, agrees.
Mr. De Bo also makes mention of the word: "persijn (Westvl. Persiin), or,
with the stress on sijn. Parsley, french Persil, oldfrench Pierrecin. Persijn
in de soepe kerven" (to chop parsley into the soup). This explanation can
be deducted from the existence of the name Persil in Saint Omaars.
Another explanation is: a term of affection, with -in at the end (Persin), of
Persevaal, a name from medieval chivalry literature. This name was also abreviated
into Perche, Pertse, Perse, also a term of affection as Persijn or Persin. Dr.
Jan Soete found in about 1400 in Izegem a 'Percheval ghezeit Persyn' (Percheval
otherwise mentioned Persyn).
Another meaning of the name of the Persyn-branch is to be found elsewhere:
M. Persyn found the key to the meaning of this name. His ancestor was named
in 1553 Willekin Persyn, in 1554 Willems Persyn and in 1554 Willems Despersyn.
Another proof: in 1377-1380 a usurer of Bruges once called Lotard Desplechyn,
otherwise Lotaerd Persyn. Many moneychangers lived in the region of Doornik
and Valencijn.
Desplechyn or Despersyn is easily be recognized in d’Esplechin. Esplechin is a municipality near Doornik.
Compare “1229 in alodiis et terris propriis Sancti Martini Tornacensis
apud Esplecin; in 1202 Alardus de Splecin = Alardus de Spelcin, miles…
allodii sui in parrochia sua de Spelchin”. The accounts of Kortrijk
mention a Jhanne Desplechiin in 1376. Also in the city-accounts of 1391-1392
we read: "Eerst ghegheven joncvrauwe Jane Blaffaerde Desplechijns wedue
als vander lijfrente ... ghegheven joncvrauwe Jane Blaffaerde Jan Lesplechijns
wedue”. This extract is found in the annals of Doornik. Yet a variant
in 1394 is: “Janen Blaffarden wedewe Jans van Plechin”.
In the city-accounts of Kortrijk in 1417-1418 we find 'Jacot De Sperchin temmerman”
and also “Jacquemaert Desperchijn temmerman”. Or sometimes incorrect
spelled as Jacot Descharchijns or Jacot Descherchijns. In the same account we
find a Hannekin Desperchijns.
The metathised, (by means of transposition) form of De Plechin is De Pelchin,
De Pelcin, De Pelsijn, De Pillecijn.
Today the literary Filip the Pillecijn (1891-1962) and J. Persyn (1878-1933)
represented the Persyn-branch.
And so, squaring the the circle: from d'Esplechin
via Desplechijn to De Pillecijn and Dispersyn
or Despersijn (shortened to Persyn).
In these above suggested solutions we have made reference to:
'Kortrijkse persoonsnamen omstreeks 1400' by Dr. F. Debrabandere
'De poorters van Roeselare 1580-1796' by G. Marechal
'Indices op de buitenpoorterboeken van Brugge 1548-1788' by A.
Schouteet.
'Indices op poorterboeken van Sint-Winoksbergen' by Th. Vergriete
'Een volkstelling te Oostakker en Meulestede in 1709' by M. Gysseling
'Westvlaamsch Idioticum’ by L. De Bo
'Répertoire des noms de famille du Pas-de-Calais en 1820'
by R. Boyenval - R. Bergier - P. Bougard.
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