GRIZETTA_what is origin and/or meaning?
The feminine given name GRIZETTA appears in my Irish ancestry. When doing a Google search for the name there are quite a few geneology urls where this f. first name appears in other Irish families. (Also in urls as f.given name to a non-relevant commercial stuffed bear)If anyone knows anything about the meaning and/or origin please respond.
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Irish Names by Donnchadh OCorrain & Fidelma Maguire says that Grissel and Griselda were used as "Anglicized" forms of the Irish Gaelic name Grainne. Perhaps Grizetta is a more fanciful or elegant version of Griselda that developed in some Irish families.
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What an interesting puzzle! The -etta sounds Italian, but the Griz- is so close to Griselda (sometimes Grizel) that I rather suspect it's a variant ... in Catholic Ireland, Italianate names would not be surprising. Any Griseldas that she might have been (almost) named after? Or, indeed, in bad handwriting, Griselda and Grizetta could be one and the same. Might be worth digging around a bit more. Good luck!
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