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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Ralph m. Old Saxon rād, Old High German rāt 'counsel, advice' + Old High German wolf, Gothic wulf 'wolf'.

The name of a 7th C king of Thuringia.

The same root gave rise to Raoul in France.

Belgium
Latin
1212x1213 Radulphus (nom) OvdFB 2
England
Latin
1155 Radulfi (gen) FPD p. 121, fn. 1, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 121, fn. 1; 1185x1186 Radulfi (gen) PR-XXXVI p. 6, Radulfo (abl) ibid. p. 6, Radulfum (acc) ibid. p. 192, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 2; 1189 Radulfi (gen) GASurv p. 94, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 80, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 119, Rodulphus (nom) ibid. p. 100; c1198 Radulfi (gen) ibid. p. 246, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 244; 1256 Radulphi (gen) EARNb p. 3, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 3; 1279–80 Radulphi (gen) WaHR-SK p. 26, Radulpho (abl) ibid. p. 33, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 34; 1298 Radulfus (nom) ComWil-vol1 p. 1; 1300 Radulphus (nom) ProcSuf-vol3 p. 245; 1327 Radulpho (abl) SaxhamSf p. 111; 1341 Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 111; 1348 Radulpho (abl) SocAntNor-3-3 no. 9; 1377 Radulfus (nom) FenPT-2 p. 6, Radulphi (gen) ibid. p. 4, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 4; 1381 Radulffo (abl) Suffolk1381 p. 100, Radulfo (abl) ibid. p. 100, Radulfum (acc) ibid. p. 135, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 78, Radulphi (gen) ibid. p. 91, Radulpho (abl) ibid. p. 89, Radulphus (nom) FenPT-2 p. 6, Suffolk1381 p. 129, Raf (nom) ibid. p. 96; 1408 Radulphus (nom) GCCYork p.11; 1424–25 Radulphum (acc) EEW p. 55; 1436 Radulphi (gen) WillsInv LVIII, Radulpho (dat) ibid. LVIII, Radulphus (nom) ibid. LVIII; 1439 Radulpho (dat) EEW p. 120, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 120; 1440 Radulphi (gen) WillsInv LI, Radulphus (nom) ibid. LI; 1558/9 Radulphi (gen) Chst-1 p. 10; 1558 Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 9; 1559 Radulphus (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 1; 1561 Radulphus (nom) Chst-1 p. 10; 1575 Radolphus (nom) ibid. p. 12
Middle English
1417 Raufe EEW p. 28; 1426 Rolf ibid. p. 71; 1434 Rauf ibid. p. 99; 1439 Rauf ibid. p. 121
Early Modern English
1485 Ralph WillsInv LXIX, Rauff ibid. LXIX; 1522 Ralf SaxhamSf p. 114; 1528 Rauf WillsInv LXXVIII; 1529 Raulf PP-HenV p. 5; 1530 Ralffe LIWill-III p. 10, Rauff ibid. p. 45, Raulf PP-HenV p. 23, Rawff LIWill-III p. 45, Rawffe ibid. p. 71, Rayff ibid. p. 71; 1531 Rauff WillsInv LXXXI; 1533 Raiphe ibid. LXXXII, Raufe ibid. LXXXIII; 1539 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 1; 1540 Raphe ibid. p. 2; 1541 Raphe ibid. p. 2; 1542/3 Raaffe SIAcc 3; 1542 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 3; 1543 Raffe BarnstapleBap p. 3, Rauffe OrpingtonKe p. 75, Rawfe ibid. p. 75; 1545 Raffe WillsInv XCI, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 5; 1546 Raffe BarnstapleBap p. 5; 1547 Raf WillsInv XCIV, Raff ibid. XCIV, Raffe BarnstapleBap p. 6, Rauff WillsInv XCIV, Rawff ibid. XCIII; 1548 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 7; 1551 Raphe ibid. p. 9; 1552 Raphe ibid. p. 9; 1553 Raffe BarnstapleBap p. 8, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 10; 1554 Rooffe ibid. p. 10; 1555 Rafe ibid. p. 11, Raffe BarnstapleBap p. 9, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 11; 1557 Raphe ibid. p. 12; 1558 Raphe SOmar-vol9 p. 1; 1559 Ralph BUmar-vol2 p. 59; 1560 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 13; 1561 Raph COmar-vol5 p. 2, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 14; 1562 Raphe ibid. p. 15; 1563 Raffe ibid. p. 15, Raphe ibid. p. 15; 1565 Raffe ibid. p. 17, Raphe ibid. p. 17, StMaryA p. 4; 1566 Radulphe bruton-vol1 p. 35, Raufe BUmar-vol1 p. 2; 1568 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 19, Rauf Bar-in-El p. 13; 1570 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 21; 1571 Raphe BUmar-vol9 p. 5; 1572 Raife OrpingtonKe p. 4, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 22; 1573 Raffe BUmar-vol1 p. 25, Raife OrpingtonKe p. 4, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 23; 1574 Radulphe bruton-vol1 p. 42; 1574/5 Raffa HAmar-vol9 p. 50; 1575 Radulph bruton-vol1 p. 7; 1576 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 25; 1577 Rafe ibid. p. 25, Raph ibid. p. 25; 1579 Rafe BEmar-vol1 p. 10; 1580 Raphe BUmar-vol9 p. 6, Rawe COmar-vol2 p. 122; 1581 Rafe ibid. p. 122; 1582 Ralph DEmar-vol2, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 29; 1583 Ralph DEmar-vol2 p. 9, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 29; 1584 Radulphe bruton-vol1 p. 45, Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 7; 1585 Radulphe bruton-vol1 p. 8; 1586 Ralf BEmar-vol2 p. 96, Ralfe CAmar-vol1 p. 4; 1587 Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 8; 1588 Radulfe Bar-in-El p. 13, Rafe OrpingtonKe p. 8, Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 8, Ralfe CAmar-vol1 p. 4, Ralph COmar-vol2 p. 23, Rauf Bar-in-El p. 13; 1589 Radulph bruton-vol1 p. 49, Rafe BEmar-vol1 p. 13, OrpingtonKe p. 8, Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 8, Ralfe COmar-vol2 p. 72, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 33; 1590 Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 9; 1591 Ralph DEmar-vol2 p. 23, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 34; 1592 Ralfe OrpingtonKe p. 9; 1593 Ralph StAnthonlin p. 36, Raphe BUmar-vol9 p. 8, Rauffe HAmar-vol9 p. 92; 1594 Ralfe StAnthonlin p. 37, Ralph DEmar-vol2 p. 28; 1595 Ralph ibid. p. 31, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 37, Raufe HAmar-vol9 p. 92; 1596 Rafe OrpingtonKe p. 9; 1597 Rafe ibid. p. 9, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 38
France
Latin
c823 Radulfus (nom) irminon-vol2 3, CE; 862x876 Ranulfi (gen) InsMacon X; 932 Radulfo (abl) CartSavII 2; 994 Rodulfo (abl) ibid. 7; c996 Radulfo (abl) ibid. 6; 1015 Radulphum (acc) NTDip-vol4 p. 225; 1047x1061 Radulfus (nom) CartNDSaintes XX; 1067 Radulfus (nom) ibid. XII; 1067x1074 Radulfus (nom) ibid. XIII; 1067x1086 Radulfus (nom) ibid. XIV; 1083 Raulphus (nom) St-Bernard-Romans 126; 1101x1129 Radulfo (abl) CartStPC XXXVI, Radulfum (acc) ibid. XXXVI, Radulfus (nom) ibid. XXII; a1108 Radulfo (abl) ibid. XXI, Radulfus (nom) ibid. XXI; 1112 Radulfi (gen) CartNDJosaphat I; a1114 Radulfus (nom) CartStPC XXXI; 1115 Radulfus (nom) CartNDJosaphat VI; 1115x1149 Radulfus (nom) CartStPC X; a1116 Radulfi (gen) ibid. XX; 1119 Radulphus (nom) CartNDJosaphat VII; 1120 Radulphus (nom) ibid. VIII; 1123 Rannulphi (gen) ibid. XII; 1127 Radulfi (gen) CartStPC XIX; 1135 Radulfus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 7, Radulphi (gen) ibid. 6; 1138 Raudulfus (nom) CartNDdOurscamp LXXXIX; 1138x62 Radulfi (gen) clairvaux-12thc 81, Radulfo (abl) ibid. 84, Radulfus (nom) ibid. 74; c1140 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp LXXXIII, Radulfus (nom) ibid. LXXXIII, Raudulfi (gen) ibid. XCIX; 1141 Radulfi (gen) ibid. CXXXI; 1143 Radulfus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 10, Radulphus (nom) ibid. 10; 1143x1146 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 12; 1144x1153 Radulphus (nom) ibid. 25; 1146 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp CXII; 1147 Radulfi (gen) clairvaux-12thc 15, Radulfus (nom) CartNDdOurscamp XCVII, clairvaux-12thc 14, Raudulfo (abl) CartNDdOurscamp XCVII; 1147x1162 Radulfus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 44; c1150 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp CXIII; 1152x1167 Radulfus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 131; 1154 Radulphi (gen) ibid. 27; c1156 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp XXXII; 1160 Radulphi (gen) ibid. CXIV; 1162 Radulfi (gen) ibid. LXIII, Radulfus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 40; 1163 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp XCVI, clairvaux-12thc 99, Radulfus (nom) CartNDdOurscamp XCVI; 1163–64 Radulfus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 108; 1163x1173 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 156; 1164 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 120; 1166 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp XC; c1170 Radulfi (gen) ibid. LXXXIV, Radulfo (abl) ibid. XCIII; 1170 Radulfus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 137; 1171 Raduffus (nom) ibid. 145, Radulfus (nom) ibid. 142; 1172 Radulfo (abl) ibid. 149; 1173 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 157; 1175 Radulfi (gen) ibid. 162; 1178 Radulfi (gen) ibid. 167; 1179 Radulfi (gen) ibid. 169, Radulfus (nom) ibid. 176; 1187 Radulfo (abl) CartNDdOurscamp LVII; 1199 Radulfus (nom) ibid. LXVII; 1207 Radulfi (gen) ibid. XLII, Radulfo (abl) ibid. CXXIX, Radulfus (nom) ibid. CXXIX; 1209 Radulfi (gen) ibid. LII, Radulfus (nom) ibid. LII; 1214 Radulfi (gen) ibid. CXLI; 1221 Radulfus (nom) ibid. LXXIII; 1236 Radulfus (nom) ibid. L; 1243 Radulphus (nom) ibid. XLVIII; 1257 Radulpho (abl) ArrestReg-volI XXII, Pentecost, Radulphus (nom) ibid. VI, St. Martin; 1258 Radulphi (gen) ibid. XXX, Candlemas, Radulphus (nom) ibid. XXVII, Pentecost; 1260 Radulphi (gen) ibid. XXII, Ascension, Radulpho (abl) ibid. X, Ascension, Radulphum (acc) ibid. V, Ascension, Radulphus (nom) ibid. X, Ascension; 1261 Radulphum (acc) ibid. VI, BMV; 1273 Raduphi (gen) RegToul-13thC p. 21; 1275 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp XLIV; 1281 Radulfi (gen) ibid. CLII, Radulphi (gen) ibid. CLII; 1285 Radulfi (gen) ibid. VII, Radulfus (nom) ibid. I, Radulphus (nom) ibid. I; 1300 Radulfus (nom) ibid. LXX, Radulphi (gen) ibid. LXIX, Radulphus (nom) ibid. LXIX; 1301 Radulfi (gen) MemPic-vol17 p. 209, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 218, Radulphi (gen) ibid. p. 176, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 178; 1378 Radulphi (gen) hanquetvol1 58, Radulpho (dat) ibid. 3
Germany
Latin
1100 Radulphus (nom) quix-vol1 78; 1108 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 85; 1122 Radolfi (gen) ibid. 27; 1130 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 63; 1135 Radulphus (nom) ibid. 64; 1147 Radulphus (nom) ibid. 29; 1180 Radolfus (nom) ibid. 34; 1191 Radulphus (nom) ibid. 38; 1192 Radolphus (nom) ibid. 40; 1208 Radolfus (nom) quix-vol2 124
Ireland
Latin
fin12thC Radulfi (gen) MunDocIr III, p. 7, Radulfus (nom) ibid. III, p. 3; 1216x1272 Radulpho (abl) POSDu VII
Poland
Latin
1251 Radolphus (nom) hennes-vol1 141
Scotland
Latin
1115 Radulfo (dat) ESC XXVIII; c1120 Radulfo (abl) ibid. XXXV; 1120 Radulfo (dat) ibid. XXXVII, Radulfus (nom) ibid. XXXVIII; 1122 Radulfus (nom) ibid. XLII; 1376 Radulpho (dat) morton-vol1 16; 1424 Radulphi (gen) RMSRS-2 3
Spain
Latin
1192 Radulfi (gen) CDCB-XV MMCCVIII
Switzerland
Latin
1155 Radulfus (nom) CartHaut 6; 1161 Radulfi (gen) ibid. 9; 1166 Radulfo (abl) ibid. 18, Radulfus (nom) ibid. 21; 1188 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 28; 1215 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 34; 1220 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 36
Cite as: N. Shiel, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Ralph". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2016, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2016/1/name/Ralph.