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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources
☙

Lance m. A hypocoristic of any of various names beginning with Old High German lant, Old Saxon land 'land'.

The diminutive Lancelot was, due to the influence of the Arthurian character by the same name, far more popular throughout the later Middle Ages than the radiconym.

Czech Republic
Latin
● 1353 Lansony (dat) chlumecky 85; 1355 Lancz (nom) ibid. 69
England
Early Modern English
◑ 1485 Lancelot WillsInv LXIX; 1547 Lanslet ibid. XCIV; 1557 Lancelott bruton-vol1 p. 2; 1560 Lancelott ibid. p. 31; 1561 Launcelott ibid. p. 110; 1562 Lancellott ibid. p. 32; 1564 Launcellott ibid. p. 111; 1580 Lancelot BUmar-vol9 p. 6; 1583/4 Lancelet BEmar-vol1 p. 11; 1588 Launcellott bruton-vol1 p. 9; 1589 Launcellott ibid. p. 49; 1592 Launcellott ibid. p. 52; 1594 Lancelot BUmar-vol9 p. 8, Launcellott bruton-vol1 p. 53; 1595 Launcellot ibid. p. 10; 1596 Launcellott ibid. p. 55; 1597 Launcellott ibid. p. 56; 1599 Lancellye BEmar-vol2 p. 131, Launcellott bruton-vol1 p. 57
France
Middle French
◑ 1392 Lancelot MemBret-II col. 611, Lansselot ibid. col. 613; 1421 Lancelet favier 1149, Lancelot ibid. p. 239; 1438 Lancelot ibid. 13
Germany
Latin
● 1186 Lanzo (nom) quix-vol2 123
Cite as: J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Lance". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2015, no. 3. http://dmnes.org/2015/3/name/Lance.