Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Christopher m. Greek Χριστός 'Christ' + Greek φέρειν 'to bear'.

The name of a 3rd C martyr, the earliest known bearer of the name, a 10th C Byzantine co-emperor, and a 15th C king of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

The English diminutive Kyt is witnessed in 1379 in the relational byname Kytsoñ (WRYPT1 p. 318).

Austria
Latin
1524 Christophorus (nom) ChronSH p. 21; 1575 Christophorus (nom) ibid. p. 22; 1595 Christophorus (nom) ibid. p. 22
Early New High German
1439 Christof (nom) ChronSH p. 34; 1550 Christof (nom) ibid. p. 10; 1553 Christof (nom) ibid. p. 8; 1556 Christof (nom) ibid. p. 10; 1563 Christof (nom) ibid. p. 8; 1577 Christof (nom) ibid. p. 11
Belgium
Dutch
1597x1598 Christoffel BoonenGes p. 353
Denmark
Latin
1320 Christoferus (nom) MIRGPCM4 XVI-III; 1362 Christoferus (nom) ibid. XVI-V
Danish
1581 Christoffer KD-1 no. 362
England
Latin
1431 Cristofero (dat) WillsInv LVI; 1551 Christopherus (nom) StMartF p. 57; 1552 Christopherus (nom) ibid. p. 57; 1553 Christoferus (nom) ibid. p. 57; 1557 Christopherus (nom) ibid. p. 59; 1559 Christoferus (nom) ibid. p. 60, Christopherus (nom) ibid. p. 60; 1562 Christopherus (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 2, RegSoAMar p. 3, Christophri (gen) RegSoABap p. 5; 1563 Christopheri (gen) Reg-KirkElla p. 4, RegSoABap p. 8; 1563/4 Christopherus (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 4; 1564/5 Christopheri (gen) ibid. p. 5; 1566/7 Christophorus (nom) ibid. p. 5; 1569 Christophorus (nom) ibid. p. 7; 1570 Christopheri (gen) ibid. p. 7; 1571 Christopheri (gen) ibid. p. 8; 1572/3 Christopherus (nom) ibid. p. 9; 1580 Christoferi (gen) ibid. p. 10, Christopherus (nom) ibid. p. 10
Dutch
1578 Christoffels AuFr Peijster; 1581 Christoffel ibid. Peijstere; 1588 Christoffels (gen) ibid. Berge; 1591 Christophel ibid. Berghe; 1594 Christoffel ibid. Berghe; 1595 Christoffel ibid. Rutgers, Christoffels ibid. Peijster; 1598 Christophels ibid. Peijster; 1599 Christoffel ibid. Peijstere
Middle English
1436 Cristofre EEW p. 107
Early Modern English
1481 Christofer HHB1481-90 p. 20, Christopher ibid. p. 5; 1511 Crystofer OrpingtonKe p. 75; 1522 Cristofer SRS-XXI p. 3; 1530 Cristofer LIWill-III p. 33; 1532–1533 Christopher CovGuild-2 p. 104; 1534 Christopher ibid. p. 129; 1540 Christopher StAnthonlin p. 2, Chrystopher RegIng p. 2; 1541 Christofer ibid. p. 2; 1547 Christopher StAnthonlin p. 6; 1548 Cristofer BarnstapleBap p. 6; 1549 Christofer RegIng p. 3; 1551 Christofer StAnthonlin p. 8; 1554 Christopher BEmar-vol1 p. 4, bruton1 p. 108; 1555 Christopher ibid. p. 108; 1556 Christopher PRThirsk p. 1; 1557 Christofer StAnthonlin p. 11; 1558 Christopher bruton1 p. 109; 1559 Christopher SaxhamSf p. 1; 1560 Christopher DEmar-vol1 p. 80; 1561 Christofer HAmar-vol9 p. 67; 1562 Christofer StAnthonlin p. 15, Christopher SaxhamSf p. 1; 1563 Christofer RegIng p. 5, Christopher BUmar-vol9 p. 3; 1564 Christofer RegIng p. 5, Christopher SaxhamSf p. 2; 1565 Christofer ComSewII 146, RegIng p. 5, StAnthonlin p. 17; 1566 Christopher ibid. p. 18; 1567 Christopher SaxhamSf p. 2; 1568 Christopher BUmar-vol9 p. 4; 1569 Christofer StAnthonlin p. 20, SurMus II, Christopher BUmar-vol9 p. 4, SurMus p. 144, Crystofer ibid. p. 137; 1570 Cristopher RegSoAMar p. 6; 1571 Christopher SaxhamSf p. 2; 1572/3 Christofer SurMus p. 162; 1575 Christopher COmar-vol5 p. 5, DEmar-vol1 p. 83; 1576 Christopher BUmar-vol2 p. 1; 1577 Christopher BUmar-vol9 p. 6; 1578 Christofer StAnthonlin p. 27, Cristofer ibid. p. 26; 1580 Christofer ibid. p. 27; 1581 Christofer ibid. p. 28, Christopher BEmar-vol1 p. 11, DEmar-vol2 p. 6, RegBath p. 5; 1582 Cristofer StAnthonlin p. 28; 1583 Christofer SurMus p. 184; 1583/4 Christofer ibid. p. 21, Christopher ibid. p. 19, Crystopher ibid. p. 133; 1584 Christofer ibid. p. 191, Christopher BEmar-vol1 p. 12; 1585 Christopher DEmar-vol2 p. 12; 1587 Christofer Bar-in-El p. 27; 1588 Christopher BEmar-vol2 p. 3; 1589 Christopher ibid. p. 54, DEmar-vol2 p. 17; 1589/90 Christopher RegBath p. 9; 1590 Christofer Bar-in-El p. 29, StAnthonlin p. 34, Christopher COmar-vol5 p. 9, DEmar-vol2 p. 20; 1591 Christopher ibid. p. 22, Cristofer BUmar-vol2 p. 118; 1592 Christopher RegBath p. 10; 1593 Christoffer BUmar-vol2 p. 65, Christopher BEmar-vol1 p. 15, DEmar-vol2 p. 26; 1593/4 Chrystover HAmar-vol9 p. 92; 1594 Christopher DEmar-vol2 p. 30; 1595 Christofer StAnthonlin p. 37, Christopher DEmar-vol2 p. 32; 1596 Christopher BUmar-vol9 p. 9, DEmar-vol2 p. 33; 1596/7 Christopher HAmar-vol9 p. 51; 1596 Christopher WAmar-1 p. 132; 1597 Christopher SaxhamSf p. 5; 1598 Christofer HAmar-vol9 p. 93, StAnthonlin p. 39, Christopher DEmar-vol2 p. 38; 1599 Christopher ibid. p. 40
Middle French
1569 Christofle WCS p. 5; 1572 Christofle ibid. p. 101; 1578 Christofle ibid. p. 102
Walloon
1582/3 Chrestophle RWC p. 6; 1590 Chrestoffle ibid. p. 441, Christoffle ibid. p. 14; 1591 Chrestefle ibid. p. 17, Chrestofle ibid. p. 18; 1591/2 Chrestophle ibid. p. 19, Chrestople ibid. p. 20; 1591 Christophle ibid. p. 19; 1592 Chrestofle ibid. p. 23, Chrestophle ibid. p. 23; 1592/3 Chrestophle ibid. p. 25; 1592 Christofle ibid. p. 21; 1593 Chrestophle ibid. p. 29; 1594 Chrestophle ibid. p. 32
Estonia
Middle Low German
1592 Toffer Tiik1977 p. 285, Top ibid. p. 287
Early Modern Swedish
1587 Stoffer (nom) Hiiumaa p. 292
France
Latin
c823 Cristofolus (nom) irminon-vol2 52, CE, Cristoforus (nom) ibid. 17, Palatiolum; 1029x1033 Cristoforus (nom) CartStPC XII; 1138x62 Christoforus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 68, Christophorus (nom) ibid. 68; 1163–64 Christoforus (nom) ibid. 112; 1164 Christoforus (nom) ibid. 121; 1179 Christoforus (nom) ibid. 178; 1301 Christofori (gen) MemPic-vol17 p. 260, Xristophori (gen) ibid. p. 251; 1378 Christophoro (dat) hanquetvol1 2478
Old French
1292 Cristoffle 1292paris p. 1
Middle French
1418 Christofle DdB1418 p. 204, HGParis p. 379; 1423 Christofle favier 497; 1438 Christofle ibid. 50; 1552 Christophe HistHdVParis no. 23; 1563 Christofle RegPCC-1 p. 40, Crestofle ibid. p. 540; 1565 Christofle ibid. p. 141; 1568 Christofle ibid. p. 393; 1587 Christofle RTFProvins 40, Christofles ibid. 198; 1588 Christofle raymond1588 p. 570
Germany
Latin
822x875 Christofero (abl) TradCorb §209; 1231 Christoforus (nom) CDL-1.1.1 XI; 1259 Cristofer (nom) ibid. XXXI; 1394 Christofori (gen) SMM p. 184, Christoforus (nom) ibid. p. 188; 1401 Cristofero (dat) HD1401 no. 47
Early New High German
1418 Christoffel (nom) mairhofer DCCVI; 1419 Christofel (nom) ibid. DCCIX, Christoffel (nom) ibid. DCCIX, Christoffeln (gen) ibid. DCCIX; 1421 Christoff (nom) ibid. DCCXVI, Christoffen (gen) ibid. DCCXVI; 1429 Christof (nom) ibid. DCCXXXI; 1497 Cristoff Nurn1497 p. 1, Cristoffell ibid. 2372; 1555 Christoffel (nom) MHCG2 335
1400 Christel (nom) mairhofer DCLXVIII
Ireland
Latin
1444 Christoforus (nom) RegOct 81; 1460 Christoforo (abl) ibid. 44; 1496 Christoforo (abl) ibid. 35
Early Modern English
1524 Christopher Fiants-1 8; 1533 Christopher ibid. 34; 1540 Christopher ibid. 156
Italy
Latin
1304 Cristofolus (nom) ActDipVeneto-I-1 p. 54; 1368 Cristofori (gen) Livi 226; 1376 Cristofforo (abl) DouGen1 p. 59, Cristoforo (abl) ibid. p. 160; 1449 Cristoforo (dat) VitAs2 IX; 1450 Christoforo (dat) ibid. IX; 1464 Christoforus (nom) CUP-III-I CCXXXI, Christophorus (nom) ibid. CCXXXI; 1478 Christoforo (abl) RCCaetani6 2720; 1490 Cristofari (gen) VitAs2 II; 1521 Christofori (gen) ibid. VI; 1522x1532 Cristofaro (abl) DSF p. 54, 58; 1527 Christofori (gen) Rome1527 p. 83, Christoforus (nom) ibid. p. 84, Christophori (gen) ibid. p. 83
1367 Cristel (nom) SMM p. 129
Italian
1513x1521 Cristophoro LeoX p. 16, Crystoforo ibid. p. 30
Latvia
Middle Low German
1512 Krystoffer Mettig1892 p. 4; 1565x1577 Christoffer Arbusow p. 97
Spain
Latin
1124 Christoval (abl) CDSS V; 1489 Christofori (gen) carbonell-I p. 35; 1490 Christofori (gen) ibid. p. 47
Catalan
1510 Christofol valencia1510 3238, Cristofol ibid. 1391
Spanish
1567 Cristobal SanzSerrano; 1575 Cristobal Catalogo-5.2 3788; 1576 Cristobal ibid. 3894
Switzerland
Latin
1519 Christophoro (abl) MHCG2 292
Ukraine
Latin
1469 Christofori (gen) AGZ-18 33
Wales
Early Modern English
1577 Christopher RegLlantrithyd p. 61
Cite as: R. Le Get, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Christopher". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Christopher.