'Latinized' names

[enfrance]

I have been looking at various Cheshire Parish records, mostly from Acton, Nantwich, from around 1670 up to around 1710. It is fascinating to see one in particular where so many first and surnames are spelt as if they are in Latin. For example, on one page from 1699, Gilbert is shown as Gilberti and Joseph as Josephi. It also uses, filia and filius to describe daughter and son. There are other examples including surnames.
My question is whether someone could please explain whether it shows a Catholic influence and how much the Catholic church still influenced life at the time after the dissolution over a hundred years earlier.
I'm not sure if copyright would allow me to attach an example of a page from a register but if that is OK I have one in particular showing what I am talking about. Sadly, I have not retained the detail of where the record came from but I suspect I could track it down if necessary.
Mike

[GrahamSimons]

Trivial point here (but my Latin teacher would insist...)

Gilberti is genitive, thus meaning "of Gilbert;" if you were writing about Gilbert doing something, then it would be nominative, Gilbertus.

[greenrig]

I don't think this is indicating a Catholic influence. More likely it is just a "Scholarly" way of writing. It went on for very much longer too.  In 1970 my University degree still has the various Professors and Officials signing their names in mock Latin.  Latin personal names are very common in Legal documents, Church documents. University documents - all institutions which are not best known for keeping up with the times.

[pinefamily]

Latin was the language of the clergy, from medieval times (or even earlier). By the 17th century, I think some still used it as a sign of their  "superior" education.

[stanmapstone]

The majority of the early registers are in Latin, (which was a relic of pre-reformation days). During the Commonwealth, the use of Latin was generally abandoned, and but very occasionally resumed after the Restoration.
Stan

[Regorian]

I think all parish registers were rendered in Latin (even if pigeon) until about 1725. I don't know about during the Commmonwealth. Nothing to do with Roman Catholicism, ever heard of the English Civil War. Charles II and James II were closet or real RC's in that order. That was why there was the Glorious Revolution of 1688, Dutch William (Protestant) was invited by the London oligarchs to become king. Catholics were banned from any public office including officers in the Army or Navy. Oddly enough it was the arch Tory, the Duke of Wellington who pushed catholic emancipation hardest about 1825.     

[enfrance]

Thank you everyone.  Your posts also explain why other documents from the same period use what seems to be modern English.

Mike

[stanmapstone]

An Act of 1731 (4 Geo. II, c. 26) ordered that " all proceedings in Courts of Justice " were to be in the English language, however this did not extend to parish registers.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

An Act of 1731 (4 Geo. II, c. 26) ordered that " all proceedings in Courts of Justice " were to be in the English language, however this did not extend to parish registers.

The Act came into force on 25 March 1733. This is why some sources say that a law  was introduced in 1733 which stated that parish register entries had to be made in English rather than Latin. The Act did not apply to parish registers.

Stan