Alan
m.
Of uncertain origin. The most likely explanation is that it is from Old Breton, Old Welsh alan 'deer'.
The name of a 9th C king of Brittany and a 15th C French saint.
The name was introduced into England, and thence to Scotland, from Brittany via the Normans.
- England
-
- Latin
- ● 1189 Alani (gen) GASurv p. 161,
Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 112;
1194 Alanus (nom) RotCur-vol1 p. 8;
1279–80 Alano (abl) WaHR-SK p. 29,
Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 30;
1381 Alano (abl) Suffolk1381 p. 100,
Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 77,
Alyn (nom) ibid. p. 80;
1485–1486 Alano (abl) CovGuild-2 p. 54
- Middle English
- ● 1381 Aleynes (gen) Suffolk1381 p. 135
- English
- ● 1530 Alan LIWill-III p. 30,
Alane ibid. p. 60;
1550 Allen StAnthonlin p. 8;
1551 Alen ibid. p. 9;
1554 Allen ibid. p. 10;
1555 Allen ibid. p. 11;
1559 Alen ibid. p. 13;
1561 Allen ibid. p. 14;
1562 Allen ibid. p. 14;
1563 Allen ibid. p. 16;
1564 Allein ibid. p. 17,
Allen ibid. p. 17;
1566 Allen ibid. p. 18;
1568 Allen ibid. p. 19;
1570 Alen ibid. p. 21,
Allen ibid. p. 21;
1572 Allen ibid. p. 21;
1574 Allan COmar-vol2 p. 122;
1576 Allen StAnthonlin p. 25;
1577 Allen ibid. p. 25;
1578 Allen DEmar-vol1 p. 84;
1585 Allyn DEmar-vol2 p. 11;
1588 Allyn ibid. p.16;
1594 Allen HAmar-vol9 p. 116
- Middle French
- ● 1371 Alain SocAntNor-3-3 no. 41
- France
-
- Latin
- ● c1147 Alani (gen) CartNDdOurscamp LXII;
a1163 Alanus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 97;
1164 Alanus (nom) ibid. 121;
1180 Alani (gen) RotScaNor p. 34,
Alano (abl) ibid. p. 3,
Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 12;
1207 Alani (gen) CartNDdOurscamp CXXIX,
Alanus (nom) ibid. CXXIX;
1304 Alanum (acc) ibid. LXXXVI;
1378 Alano (dat) hanquetvol1 1059
- Old French
- ● 1296 Alain paris1296 p. 2;
1313 Alain Paris1313 p. 11,
Alein ibid. p. 4
- Middle French
- ● 1392 Alain MemBret-II col. 615;
1418 Alain HGParis p. 380;
1421 Alain favier 1207
- Latvia
-
- Latin
- ● a1286 Alanus (nom) RigSB 3
- Scotland
-
- Latin
- ● 1124 Alanus (nom) ESC L;
a1200 Alano (abl) CartNBer 1;
1214–26 Alano (abl) morton-vol1 1;
1235 Alani (gen) ibid. 3,
Alano (abl) ibid. 3;
1238 Alani (gen) CartStAndrew p. 2;
1376 Alano (dat) morton-vol1 16;
c1377 Alanus (nom) ibid. 4;
1377 Alanus (nom) ibid. 6;
1381x1388 Alano (dat) CartNBer [p. xxxvii];
1384 Alani (gen) CartLevenax p. 7;
1387 Alani (gen) ibid. p. 9;
1578 Allanus (nom) morton-vol1 15
- Scots
- ● 1376 Alani (gen) morton-vol1 16
Cite as: J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Alan". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2015, no. 2. http://dmnes.org/2015/2/name/Alan.