The name was introduced into England, and thence to Scotland, from Brittany via the Normans.

The English forms Alayn and Alyn are witnessed in 1379 in the relational bynames Alaynsoñ (WRYPT1 p. 159) and Alynsoñ (WRYPT1 p. 296), and Aleyn and Alyn in 1482 in the relational bynames Aleynson (BreadBk p. 3) and Alynson (BreadBk p. 5).

England

Latin

● 1155 Alanus (nom) FPD p. 121, fn. 1; 1181 Alanus (nom) StPaulDom p. 115; 1185x1186 Alani (gen) PR-XXXVI p. 192, Alanum (acc) ibid. p. 3, Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 7; 1189 Alani (gen) GASurv p. 161, Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 112; 1194 Alanus (nom) RotCur-vol1 p. 8; 1222 Alani (gen) StPaulDom p. 6, Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 15; 1256 Alani (gen) EARNb p. 3, Alanum (acc) ibid. p. 4, Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 1, Allanum (acc) ibid. p. 3; 1279–80 Alano (abl) WaHR-SK p. 29, Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 30; 1296 Alani (gen) RCS-1 p. 95b; 1340xc1450 Alani (gen) CovGuild-1 p. 4, Alannus (nom) ibid. p. 1, Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 2; 1377 Alanus (nom) FenPT-2 p. 4; 1379 Alanus (nom) WRYPT1 p. 18; 1381 Alani (gen) FenPT-2 p. 6, Alano (abl) Suffolk1381 p. 100, Alanus (nom) FenPT-2 p. 6, Suffolk1381 p. 77, Alyn (nom) ibid. p. 80; 1423 Alano (abl) WillsInv L; 1485–1486 Alano (abl) CovGuild-2 p. 54; 1558/9 Alani (gen) Chst-1 p. 9; 1569 Alanus (nom) ibid. p. 11

Anglo-French

● 1245–1250[1586] Alayn Glover 137, Aleyn ibid. 85

Middle English

● 1381 Aleynes (gen) Suffolk1381 p. 135

Early Modern English

● 1485 Aleyne WillsInv LXIX; 1530 Alan LIWill-III p. 30, Alane ibid. p. 60; 1530/31 Alen ibid. p. 96; 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; 1569 Allen SurMus p. 151; 1570 Alen StAnthonlin 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; 1583/4 Allen SurMus p. 124, Allyn ibid. p. 30; 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

● 1295 Alain (obl) HistHdVParis p. 128; 1296 Alain paris1296 p. 2; 1313 Alain Paris1313 p. 11, Alein ibid. p. 4

Middle French

● 1386 Alain MemBret-II col. 513; 1392 Alain ibid. col. 615; 1393 Alain ibid. col. 622; 1415[1469x1471] Allain Waurin p. 225; 1418 Alain DdB1418 p. 204, HGParis p. 380; 1421 Alain favier 1207; 1561 Alain RegPCC-1 p. 4; 1565 Alain ibid. p. 139, Allain ibid. p. 123; 1566 Allain ibid. p. 196; 1567 Allain ibid. p. 326; 1568 Allain ibid. p. 389; 1571 Allain ibid. p. 442; 1587 Alain RTFProvins 270

Ireland

Latin

● fin12thC Alan (nom) MunDocIr III, p. 20, Alanus (nom) ibid. III, p. 12; c1456 Alani (gen) RegOct 85; 1479 Alanum (acc) ibid. 22

Italy

Latin

● 1156 Alano (dat) CartYonne1 CCLXXX; 1376 Alaono (abl) DouGen1 p. 131, Allaono (abl) ibid. p. 41, Allaonus (nom) ibid. p. 231

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 Alani (gen) morton-vol1 16, Alano (dat) ibid. 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; 1414 Alano (abl) REG-II 324; 1425 Alano (abl) RMSRS-2 27; 1426 Alano (abl) ibid. 48; 1427 Alano (abl) ibid. 90, Alanus (nom) ibid. 90; 1428 Alano (abl) ibid. 110; 1578 Allanus (nom) morton-vol1 15

Scots

● 1427 Alan RMSRS-2 89