This page is historical. Follow this link for the current version.
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 vernacular English forms Rau, Rauf, and Rawe are witnessed in 1379 in the relational bynames Raussoñ (WRYPT1 p. 24), Raufsoñ (WRYPT1 p. 41), and Raweson (WRYPT1 p. 43). In France, the name developed into Raoul.

Belgium
Latin
1066 Radulfi (gen) CartSPL1 II; 1106 Radulfo (abl) CartStBert 2; 1143 Radulfi (gen) ibid. 15; 1212x1213 Radulphus (nom) OvdFB 2
England
Latin
1155 Radulfi (gen) FPD p. 121, fn. 1, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 121, fn. 1; 1161x1184 Radulphus (nom) MDE p. 227, no. 1; 1181 Radulfum (acc) StPaulDom p. 109, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 115; 1183 Radulphus (nom) BoldonBuke p. 2; 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; 1246 Radulfum (acc) PSS-II p. 6; 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; 1317 Radulphum (acc) PSS-CXIV 4a; 1318 Radulphum (acc) ibid. 4b; 1325 Radulphi (gen) ibid. 10f, Radulpho (dat) ibid. 11; 1327 Radulpho (abl) SaxhamSf p. 111; 1340xc1450 Radulfus (nom) CovGuild-1 p. 59, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 54; 1341 Radulphus (nom) SaxhamSf 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; 1379 Radulphus (nom) WRYPT1 p. 5; 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; 1485–1486 Radulfo (abl) CovGuild-2 p. 61, Raffe (abl) ibid. p. 73; 1558/9 Radulphi (gen) Chst-1 p. 10; 1558 Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 9; 1559 Radulphus (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 1; 1561 Radolphus (nom) RegSoAMar p. 2, StMartF p. 60, Radulphus (nom) Chst-1 p. 10, Rodolphi (gen) RegSoABap p. 4; 1562 Rodolphi (gen) ibid. p. 6; 1563/4 Rodolphi (gen) ibid. p. 9; 1563 Rodolphus (nom) ibid. p. 7; 1565 Rodolphy (gen) ibid. p. 11; 1566 Rodolphi (gen) ibid. p. 12; 1567 Rodolphi (gen) ibid. p. 14; 1570 Ralf (nom) ibid. p. 16; 1570/1 Raph (nom) ibid. p. 17; 1570 Rodolphi (gen) ibid. p. 16; 1575 Radolphus (nom) Chst-1 p. 12
Anglo-French
1245–1250[1586] Rafe Glover 193, Rauf ibid. 64, Raulf ibid. 136
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
1477 Raffe BreadBk p. 12; 1481 Raff HHB1481-90 p. 14; 1485 Ralph WillsInv LXIX, Rauff ibid. LXIX; 1522 Ralf SaxhamSf p. 114; 1528 Rauf WillsInv LXXVIII; 1529 Rauff CovGuild-2 p. 86, 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; 1532–1533 Raff CovGuild-2 p. 113, Rauf ibid. p. 96; 1533 Raiphe WillsInv LXXXII, Rauf CovGuild-2 p. 160, Raufe WillsInv LXXXIII; 1534 Rauff CovGuild-2 p. 128; 1539 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 1; 1540 Raphe ibid. p. 2; 1541 Raphe ibid. p. 2; 1542/3 Raaffe SIAcc 3; 1542 Raph RegIng p. 2, 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; 1551/2 Raphe RegIng p. 3; 1551 Raphe StAnthonlin 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 Ralfe RegSoABap p. 1, Raphe SOmar-vol9 p. 1; 1559/60 Ralfe RegSoABap p. 2; 1559 Ralph BUmar-vol2 p. 59; 1560 Rafe RegSoABap p. 2, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 13; 1561 Raff COmar-vol5 p. 125, Raph ibid. p. 2, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 14; 1562 Raphe ibid. p. 15; 1563 Raffe ibid. p. 15, Raphe BarnstapleBap p. 12, StAnthonlin p. 15; 1565 Raffe ibid. p. 17, Raphe ibid. p. 17, StMaryA p. 4; 1566 Radulphe bruton1 p. 35, Raufe BUmar-vol1 p. 2; 1568 Raphe StAnthonlin p. 19, Rauf Bar-in-El p. 13; 1570 Raph RegSoAMar p. 6, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 21, Rodolph RegSoAMar p. 6; 1571 Raph RegSoABap p. 17, 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 bruton1 p. 42; 1574/5 Raffa HAmar-vol9 p. 50; 1575 Radulph bruton1 p. 7; 1576 Ralphe COmar-vol5 p. 84, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 25; 1577 Rafe ibid. p. 25; 1577/8 Raph RegBisham p. 4; 1577 Raph StAnthonlin p. 25; 1579 Rafe BEmar-vol1 p. 10; 1580 Raphe BUmar-vol9 p. 6; 1581 Rafe COmar-vol2 p. 122; 1582 Ralph DEmar-vol2, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 29; 1583 Ralph DEmar-vol2 p. 9, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 29; 1584 Radulphe bruton1 p. 45, Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 7; 1585 Radulphe bruton1 p. 8; 1586 Ralf BEmar-vol2 p. 96, Ralfe CAmar-vol1 p. 4, Ralpe Bar-in-El p. 34, Raph RegBisham p. 5; 1587 Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 8, RegSoAMar p. 13; 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 bruton1 p. 49, Rafe BEmar-vol1 p. 13, OrpingtonKe p. 8, Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 8; 1589/90 Raffe HWCP2 p. 4; 1589 Ralfe COmar-vol2 p. 72, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 33; 1590 Raffe COmar-vol5 p. 9; 1591 Raff ibid. p. 128, Ralph DEmar-vol2 p. 23, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 34; 1592 Raffe HWCP2 p. 11, 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; 1597/8 Radulph bruton1 p. 125; 1597 Rafe OrpingtonKe p. 9, Raphe StAnthonlin p. 38; 1599 Raph RegGorton p. 1, Raphe ibid. p. 1
France
Latin
c823 Radulfus (nom) irminon-vol2 3, CE; 932 Radulfo (abl) CartSavII 2; 994 Rodulfo (abl) ibid. 7; c996 Radulfo (abl) ibid. 6; 11thC Raulfus (nom) CartSPL1 I; 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-Barnard-Romans 126; 1096 Raulfus (nom) CartSPL1 IX; 1101 Radulfi (gen) ibid. X; 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; 1115x1149 Radulfus (nom) ibid. X; a1116 Radulfi (gen) ibid. XX; 1119 Radulphus (nom) CartNDJosaphat VII; c1120 Radulfi (gen) CartNoyers CDXXXVI; 1120 Radulphus (nom) CartNDJosaphat 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; 1142x1152 Radulfo (abl) ChartCaen2 1; 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; 1157x1184 Radulfus (nom) ChartCaen2 2; 1160 Radulphi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp 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; c1175–1180 Radulfi (gen) ChartCaen2 p. 61, Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 61; 1178 Radulfi (gen) clairvaux-12thc 167, Radulfo (abl) NotSLdN I, Radulfus (nom) ibid. I; 1178x1182 Radulfi (gen) ChartCaen2 3, Radulfo (abl) ibid. 3; 1179 Radulfi (gen) clairvaux-12thc 169, Radulfus (nom) ibid. 176; 1187 Radulfo (abl) CartNDdOurscamp LVII; 1194 Radulfi (gen) ibid. CLVI, Radulfo (abl) ibid. CLVI, Radulfus (nom) ibid. CLVI; 1199 Radulfus (nom) ibid. LXVII; 1202 Radulfo (abl) ChartCaen2 6; 1204 Radulfi (gen) NDParisII 2-LXXXVI; 1207 Radulfi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp 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, Radulphum (acc) ChronMaillezais p. 158; 1239 Radulphum (acc) ibid. p. 160, Radulphus (nom) ibid. p. 161; 1241 Radulphi (gen) NDParisII 2-CXII; 1242 Radulphus (nom) CartNDdOurscamp CLIV; 1243 Radulphus (nom) ibid. XLVIII; 1255x1256 Radulphus (nom) NDParisII 2-CXIII; 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; 1263 Radulfi (gen) NDParisII I; 1273 Radulphus (nom) ibid. 2-XLIII, 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; 1292 Radulphus (nom) MemBret-I 1103, Raudulphus (nom) ibid. 1103; 1295 Radulphus (nom) HistHdVParis p. 130; c1299 Radulfus (nom) ibid. p. 144, Radulphi (gen) ibid. p. 144, Radulphum (acc) ibid. p. 144; 1300 Radulfus (nom) CartNDdOurscamp 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
1378 Raouletus (nom) hanquetvol1 no. 83
Old French
1262 Raoul (obl) StOuen p. 4, Raul (obl) ibid. p. 9; 1290 Raoul (obl) HistHdVParis p. 106; 1291 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 107; 1292 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 110; 1293 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 119; 1294 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 126; c1294 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 126; 1295 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 128; 1296 Raoul paris1296 p. 8, (obl) HistHdVParis p. 131; 1297 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 136; 1298 Raoul (obl) ibid. p. 139; 1299/1300 Raoul (obl) HAP p. 387; 1299 Raoul (obl) HistHdVParis p. 146; 1301 Raoul (obl) MemPic-vol17 p. 335 [p. 235], Raous (nom) ibid. p. 169; 1302 Raoules (nom) ArchReimsII1 XXVII, Raules (nom) ibid. XXVII; 1308 Raoul (obl) ibid. LXVII; 1313 Raol Paris1313 p. 2, Raou ibid. p. 49, Raoul ibid. p. 39; 1327 Raol MemDocMan-2 p. 175, Raoul ibid. p. 176; 1339 Raoul valois-2 CCIX; 1346 Raoul (nom) HAP p. 309
1296 Raoullet paris1296 p. 14; 1302 Raulet (obl) ArchReimsII1 XXVII; 1313 Raolet Paris1313 p. 7, Raoulet ibid. p. 107, Raoulin ibid. p. 43
Middle French
1364/5 Raoul ActsCharlesV no. 190; 1366/7 Raoul ibid. no. 368; 1386 Raoul MemBret-II col. 514; 1388 Raoul thierry; 1392 Raoul MemBret-II col. 601, Raoult ibid. col. 598; 1393 Raoul ibid. col. 622; 1415[1469x1471] Raoul Waurin p. 225; 1418 Raoul DdB1418 p. 197, HGParis p. 373; 1421 Raoul favier p. 162; 1455 Raoul (nom) HRAVP-3 p. 353; 1466 Raoulles HistHdVParis no. 5; 1562 Raoul RegPCC-1 p. 16; 1565 Raoul ibid. p. 112; 1566 Raoul ibid. p. 216; 1567 Raoul ibid. p. 319; 1568 Raoul ibid. p. 369; 1571 Raoul ibid. p. 441; 1572 Raoul ibid. p. 511
1386 Raoullet MemBret-II col. 514; 1392 Raoulet ibid. col. 603, Raoulin ibid. col. 603, Raoullat ibid. col. 604; 1415[1469x1471] Raoulquin Waurin p. 226; 1418 Raolin HGParis p. 376, Raoulet DdB1418 p. 199, HGParis p. 375, Raoulin ibid. p. 385, Raoullin DdB1418 p. 211; 1421 Raolet favier 341, Raoulet ibid. 16, Raoulin ibid. 1152; 1423 Raoulin ibid. 321; 1438 Raoulet ibid. 153; 1440 Raoullin Laroche no. 5; 1479 Raoulin ibid. no. 2; 1562 Raulet RegPCC-1 p. 530, Raulin ibid. p. 12; 1563 Raulet ibid. p. 23, Raulin ibid. p. 20, Raullin ibid. p. 40; 1564 Raulin ibid. p. 90, Raullet ibid. p. 65, Raullin ibid. p. 51; 1565 Raulet ibid. p. 136, Raulin ibid. p. 112, Raullet ibid. p. 158, Raullin ibid. p. 134; 1566 Raulin ibid. p. 270, Raullet ibid. p. 223, Raullin ibid. p. 217; 1567 Raulet ibid. p. 348, Raulin ibid. p. 317, Raullet ibid. p. 316, Raullin ibid. p. 335; 1568 Raulet ibid. p. 418, Raullet ibid. p. 405, Raullin ibid. p. 412; 1570 Raulin ibid. p. 431; 1571 Raulin ibid. p. 461, Raullet ibid. p. 446
Germany
Latin
822x875 Redulfo (abl) TradCorb §140; 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; 1302 Radolfi (gen) BremUrk2 no. 14; 1322 Radolf (nom) VFBStralsund 69; 1332 Radolfus (nom) ibid. 36
Ireland
Latin
fin12thC Radulfi (gen) MunDocIr III, p. 7, Radulfus (nom) ibid. III, p. 3; 1216x1272 Radulpho (abl) POSDu VII
1490/1 Raulini (gen) RegOct 3, Raulino (dat) ibid. 3, Raulinum (acc) ibid. 3, Raulyne (nom) ibid. 3
Israel
Latin
1115 Radulfus (nom) CartNDJosaphat VI, Rodulfus (nom) ibid. VI
Italy
Latin
1265x1339 Redulfi (gen) BBC-Berg 86
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; 1427 Radulfo (abl) ibid. 105
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; 1210 Radulfi (gen) CartChart 7, Radulfus (nom) ibid. 4; 1215 Radulfus (nom) CartHaut 34; 1220 Radulfus (nom) ibid. 36
Middle French
1431 Raou MHCG2 476
Cite as: N. Shiel, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Ralph". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2019, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2019/1/name/Ralph.