200+ Old Witch Names: Historical, Vintage & Witch Trial Names

Old witch names carry a weight that modern names cannot match. Specifically, these are names of real women and men who were accused, tried, and often executed for witchcraft between 1500 and 1800. Honestly, when you read names like Bridget Bishop, Rebecca Nurse, or Demdike, you are reading the actual records of human tragedy and folkloric memory. Furthermore, using these names in fiction or naming gives your work an authenticity that invented names cannot reach.

This guide gives you 200+ old witch names from real historical witch trials, medieval folk records, and traditional folklore. Each name includes its real origin and the trial or text where it appeared. Whether you are writing historical fiction, naming a witch character with depth, or simply curious about the real witches of history — this is your complete reference.

What Makes a Name an "Old Witch Name"?

An old witch name belongs to one of three categories. Specifically, these are names from real historical witch trials, names from medieval folk magic records, or names from folklore and old fairy tales. According to Wikipedia's entry on the Salem witch trials, over 200 people were accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts alone — their names form the largest single record of historical witch names in English.

The Three Sources of Old Witch Names

• Witch trial records — Salem (1692), Pendle (1612), East Anglia (1644-1647), Würzburg (1626-1631), Basque trials (1609)
• Folk magic records — cunning folk, wise women, hedge witches recorded in village documents
• Folklore figures — Baba Yaga, Mother Holle, La Befana, the "old witch" archetype in fairy tales

Salem Witch Trial Names (40 Real Names)

For example, the Salem witch trials of 1692 produced the most documented list of old witch names in English-speaking history. Specifically, twenty people were executed — fourteen women and five men by hanging, plus Giles Corey who died under torture. Furthermore, more than 200 people were accused total. Each name below comes from real court records.

Executed Salem "Witches" (Real Names)

Name	Year	Note
Bridget Bishop	1692	First executed; June 10, 1692
Sarah Good	1692	Hanged July 19, 1692
Rebecca Nurse	1692	71-year-old grandmother; July 19
Susannah Martin	1692	Hanged July 19, 1692
Elizabeth How	1692	Hanged July 19, 1692
Sarah Wildes	1692	Hanged July 19, 1692
George Burroughs	1692	Former minister; Aug 19
Martha Carrier	1692	Hanged August 19, 1692
John Proctor	1692	Featured in The Crucible
George Jacobs	1692	Hanged August 19, 1692
John Willard	1692	Hanged August 19, 1692
Martha Corey	1692	Church member, age 72
Mary Easty	1692	Sister of Rebecca Nurse
Alice Parker	1692	Hanged September 22
Mary Parker	1692	Hanged September 22
Ann Pudeator	1692	Hanged September 22
Margaret Scott	1692	Hanged September 22
Wilmott Redd	1692	Hanged September 22
Samuel Wardwell	1692	Hanged September 22
Giles Corey	1692	Pressed to death

Other Notable Salem Accused

• Tituba — Caribbean slave, first to confess
• Sarah Osborne — died in prison
• Sarah Cloyce — sister of Rebecca Nurse
• Dorcas Good — 4-year-old daughter of Sarah Good
• Elizabeth Proctor — wife of John Proctor
• Mary Warren — Proctor servant
• Abigail Hobbs — confessed witch
• Mary Bradbury — fled and escaped
• Mary Lacey
• Mary Toothaker
• Hannah Carrol
• Mary Black
• Elizabeth Hubbard — accuser
• Mercy Lewis — accuser
• Ann Putnam Jr. — accuser
• Betty Parris — first accuser
• Abigail Williams — first accuser
• Lydia Dustin — died in prison
• Sarah Dustin — daughter
• Abigail Faulkner Sr.

Pendle Witch Trial Names (1612, England) (15 Names)

However, the Pendle witch trials predate Salem by 80 years and remain England's most famous witch hunt. Specifically, ten people were hanged at Gallows Hill in Lancaster on August 20, 1612. Furthermore, the records were published in 1613 as The Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster by Thomas Potts.

Name	Known As	Fate
Elizabeth Southerns	"Demdike" (matriarch)	Died in prison
Anne Whittle	"Chattox"	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Alizon Device	Demdike's granddaughter	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Elizabeth Device	Demdike's daughter	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
James Device	Demdike's grandson	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Anne Redferne	Chattox's daughter	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Alice Nutter	Wealthy gentlewoman	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Katherine Hewitt	Also known as "Mould-heels"	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
John Bulcock	Young farmer	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Jane Bulcock	John's mother	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Isabel Robey	Separate trial same day	Hanged Aug 20, 1612
Jennet Device	9-year-old key witness	Testified against family

East Anglia Witch Trial Names (Hopkins, 1644-1647) (15 Names)

Specifically, the East Anglia trials under Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins claimed around 300 executions in just three years. Importantly, these were the most concentrated witch hunts in English history. Browse our witch hunter names guide for context on the hunters who prosecuted these trials.

• Elizabeth Clarke — first accused by Hopkins
• Anne Leech
• Anne West
• Helen Clarke
• Margaret Moone
• Rose Hallybread
• Mary Foster
• Joan Cariden
• Mary Bush
• Margery Sparham
• Anne Cooper
• Bridget Mayers
• Susan Marchant
• Anne Smith
• Joanna Briggs

European Witch Trial Names (Medieval & Renaissance) (25 Names)

For instance, the European witch hunts killed tens of thousands between 1450 and 1750. Specifically, Germany, France, and Spain produced the most trials. Generally, these names show how diverse old witch naming was across Europe.

German Witch Trial Names (Würzburg, 1626-1631)

• Maria Renata Singer
• Anna Maria Schwägelin
• Catharina Henot
• Walpurga Hausmännin
• Helena Curtens
• Maria Pauer
• Agnes Bernauer
• Apollonia Mayr

French Witch Names

• Catherine Monvoisin "La Voisin"
• Marguerite de Naples
• Madeleine Bavent
• Marthe Brossier
• Jehanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc)
• Catherine Deshayes

Basque Witch Trial Names (1609)

• Maria de Ximildegui
• Maria de Endara
• Graciana de Barrenechea
• Estevania de Petriçena
• Maria de Yriarte

Scottish Witch Trial Names

• Agnes Sampson — North Berwick trials, 1590
• Geillis Duncan — North Berwick
• Isobel Gowdie — confessed witch, 1662
• Bessie Dunlop — Lyne, Ayrshire
• Janet Boyman — Edinburgh, 1572
• Marion Pardon

Folkloric Old Witch Names (20 Names)

Likewise, folklore gives us another rich source of old witch names. Specifically, these are characters from oral tradition, fairy tales, and pre-modern folk belief. Importantly, many cultures have an "old witch" archetype with distinctive names.

Name	Culture / Source
Baba Yaga	Slavic folklore (Russia, Ukraine, Poland)
Mother Holle	Germanic folklore (Frau Holle)
La Befana	Italian Epiphany witch
Baba Roga	South Slavic version of Baba Yaga
Black Annis	English Midlands hag
Cailleach	Scottish/Irish winter hag
Jenny Greenteeth	English river hag
Nelly Long-Arms	English folklore
Peg Powler	English river spirit
Old Mother Shipton	Yorkshire prophet (1488-1561)
Mother Demdike	Pendle folklore name
Bloody Mary	Mirror folklore
The Wicked Witch	Brothers Grimm
The Old Crone	Universal fairy tale

• Hexe — German "witch"
• Strega Nona — Italian "Grandma Witch"
• Old Mother
• Hagedame
• Frau Trude
• Mother Hubbard (nursery)

Vintage & Victorian Witch Names (20 Names)

Furthermore, the Victorian era (1837-1901) revived interest in witchcraft and produced fictional witch characters with distinctive period names. Specifically, these names sound formal, dated, and authentic for any 1800s-set story.

• Cornelia
• Wilhelmina
• Augusta
• Prudence
• Hephzibah
• Mehitable
• Mercy
• Patience
• Constance
• Verity
• Temperance
• Honora
• Deliverance
• Comfort
• Submit (real Puritan name)
• Silence (real Puritan name)
• Remember (real Puritan name)
• Endurance
• Faith
• Charity

Old English & Anglo-Saxon Magical Names (25 Names)

Generally, Anglo-Saxon and Old English sources give us witch-related words and names from before the witch hunts began. Specifically, these names connect to the Old English root wicce (female witch) and wicca (male witch).

• Wynflæd
• Æthelflæd
• Eadgyth
• Cwen
• Hild
• Mildþryð
• Osgyð
• Sigewine
• Wulfgifu
• Æthelwynn
• Beornwynn
• Cyneswith
• Eadburh
• Frithswith
• Heahburh
• Leofgifu
• Sæthryth
• Wærburh
• Wulfthryth
• Ælfgifu
• Ælfthryth
• Cuthburh
• Æthelthryth
• Burgheard
• Eormenburh

Old Norse & Viking Witch Names (15 Names)

However, the Old Norse tradition had its own witch-related figures called völva (seeress) and seiðkona (sorceress). Specifically, these names appear in Norse sagas and Eddic poetry.

• Gullveig — burned three times in the Eddas
• Heiðr — Norse seer name
• Hyndla — giantess seer
• Þorbjörg
• Þorbjörn (male)
• Gróa — sorceress in Eddas
• Sigrdrífa
• Brynhildr
• Guðrún
• Þuríðr
• Þórdís
• Hrefna
• Helga
• Frigg
• Sif

How to Use Old Witch Names in Your Writing

Honestly, using real historical witch names in fiction requires thought. Specifically, you have several options depending on your story's needs.

Option 1: Use the Real Name (Most Authentic)

For historical fiction set in 1692 Salem, using the real name "Bridget Bishop" or "Rebecca Nurse" honors the actual victim and gives your story real weight. Furthermore, this works best when you are writing about the trials themselves, not when creating a separate character.

Option 2: Adapt the Name Slightly

However, for fictional characters inspired by historical figures, slight modifications create distance. For instance, "Bridget Bishop" might become "Bridget Bishopwood" or simply "Bridget." As a result, the reader gets the period feel without you appropriating a real person's tragedy.

Option 3: Combine Real First + Period Surname

Likewise, you can combine a documented witch trial first name (Rebecca, Sarah, Martha, Elizabeth) with a fictional period-appropriate surname. For example, "Rebecca Thornhallow" or "Martha Greycloak" feel authentic without copying real victims. Browse our witch last names guide for 300+ period-appropriate surname options.

Option 4: Use Folkloric Names Freely

Furthermore, folkloric names like Baba Yaga, Mother Holle, and Black Annis belong to public folklore. Therefore, you can use them freely without copying any real person's identity.

Common Mistakes With Old Witch Names

1. Treating Real Victims as Villains

Importantly, the women executed at Salem and Pendle were innocent victims of mass hysteria. Specifically, naming a villain "Bridget Bishop" or "Rebecca Nurse" misrepresents real human suffering. As a result, use these names with respect — for sympathetic characters or historical accuracy, not for cardboard villains.

2. Mixing Eras Without Research

However, a 1692 Salem witch with a Victorian-era name like "Wilhelmina" reads as historically wrong. Specifically, match the name to the actual period of your story. Generally, Puritan-era names (Mercy, Patience, Faith) work for 1600s settings, while Victorian names work for 1800s.

3. Anglicizing Foreign Names

For example, changing "Walpurga Hausmännin" to "Walburga Houseman" loses the cultural authenticity. Therefore, if your character is German, French, or Spanish, keep the original spelling. Importantly, this respects the culture and gives your story real flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the names of real witches in history?

Real "witches" in history were people accused of witchcraft, not actual practitioners. Famous names include Bridget Bishop, Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, and Tituba (Salem, 1692), plus Demdike, Chattox, and Alizon Device (Pendle, 1612), and Walpurga Hausmännin (Germany, 1587). Importantly, most were innocent victims of religious hysteria.

What is the oldest known witch name?

One of the oldest documented witch-related names is Erichtho, a Thessalian witch in Lucan's Pharsalia (Roman, 1st century AD). Furthermore, classical sources name Circe and Medea from Greek mythology as the earliest "witch" figures, dating to at least the 8th century BC.

What were old English witch names?

Old English witch-related names included Wicce (female witch), Wicca (male witch), Hægtesse (hedge-rider/witch), and Hellrūn (one who knows hell-runes). Specifically, the word "witch" itself comes from Old English wicce. Furthermore, given names of accused witches in English trials included Elizabeth, Anne, Mary, Margaret, and Joan — all common period names.

What is a vintage witch name?

A vintage witch name is one that sounds dated and historically authentic. Examples include Hephzibah, Wilhelmina, Cornelia, Prudence, Mehitable, Mercy, Patience, Constance, and Endurance. Specifically, these names were common during the 1600s-1800s and instantly signal "historical witch character."

What was the name of the most famous witch?

Several "most famous" old witches exist depending on context. Specifically, Bridget Bishop was the first executed at Salem (1692). Demdike (Elizabeth Southerns) led the Pendle witch family in 1612. Furthermore, Mother Shipton (1488-1561) was the most famous English folk witch, known for her prophecies. In folklore, Baba Yaga from Slavic tradition is internationally recognized.

What is a Puritan witch name?

Puritan witch names follow the 1600s naming convention where parents chose virtue-words: Mercy, Patience, Faith, Charity, Constance, Verity, Prudence, Hope, Temperance, Submit, Silence, Remember, and Deliverance. Furthermore, these were real Puritan names — making them perfect for historical witch fiction.

What is Baba Yaga's real name?

Baba Yaga has no "real name" as she is a folkloric figure, not a historical person. Specifically, "Baba" means "old woman" or "grandmother" in Slavic languages, and "Yaga" likely derives from Proto-Slavic ęga meaning "fury" or "horror." Therefore, her name essentially translates to "horror grandmother" — fitting for the most famous old witch in Slavic folklore.

Final Thoughts

Old witch names carry the weight of real history and real lives. Furthermore, whether you choose names from the Salem trials, the Pendle witches, European witch hunts, or folkloric tradition — each name connects your work to centuries of fascination, persecution, and folk memory. In short, use them with respect.

However, the strongest old witch names are not necessarily the famous ones. Specifically, lesser-known names like Walpurga Hausmännin, Isobel Gowdie, or Mother Shipton can give your character distinction while still feeling historically grounded. Looking for more period-appropriate context? Browse our witch hunter names guide to name the antagonists who would oppose your historical witch characters.