Ellen

Ellen f. Greek Ἑλένη. The ultimate root of this name is uncertain, and the first attestation of the name in Greek is in Homer's Iliad.

The popularity of the French form Elaine was influenced by various characters of this name appearing in medieval Arthurian romances.

The English form Elyn is witnessed in 1379 in the relational byname Elyndoghter (WRYPT1 p. 166).

Belgium

Dutch: ● 1597x1598 Helena BoonenGes p. 334

Czech Republic

Latin: ● 1358 Helena (dat) chlumecky 226, p. 31

Denmark

Danish: ● 1581 Elline KD-1 no. 362

England

Latin: ● 1189 Elene (gen) GASurv p. 122; 1279–80 Elena (abl) WaHR-SK p. 94; 1296 Elena (nom) RCS-1 p. 96a; 1340xc1450 Elena (nom) CovGuild-1 p. 6, Elene (nom) ibid. p. 96, Helena (nom) ibid. p. 4; 1377 Elene (gen) FenPT-2 p. 4, Helena (nom) ibid. p. 4; 1379 Elena (nom) WRYPT1 p. 2, Helena (nom) ibid. p. 2; 1381 Elayn (nom) FenPT-2 p. 8, Elen (nom) Suffolk1381 p. 84, Elena (nom) FenPT-2 p. 6, Suffolk1381 p. 71, Elyna (nom) ibid. p. 114, Helena (nom) ibid. p. 114; 1408 Elena (nom) GCCYork p.11; 1485–1486 Elena (abl) CovGuild-2 p. 57; 1554 Helena (nom) StMartF p. 58; 1557 Helena (nom) ibid. p. 59; 1558/9 Elena (nom) Chst-1 p. 10; 1559 Helena (nom) StMartF p. 60, Helina (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 1; 1560/1 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 2; 1560 Hellena (nom) ibid. p. 2; 1561 Elena (nom) RegSoABap p. 3, Helyna (nom) StMartF p. 60; 1562 Elena (nom) Chst-1 p. 10, Ellena (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 2, Helena (nom) RegSoABap p. 5; 1563 Elena (nom) Chst-1 p. 11; 1563/4 Helena (nom) RegSoABap p. 8; 1563 Helena (nom) RegSoAMar p. 3; 1564 Ellena (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 4, Helena (nom) RegSoABap p. 9; 1565 Ellena (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 5; 1566 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 5; 1566/7 Helena (nom) RegSoABap p. 13; 1567 Ellena (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 6; 1569 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 7; 1570 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 7; 1571 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 8; 1572 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 8; 1579 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 9; 1579/80 Ellena (nom) ibid. p. 9; 1585 Elena (nom) RegBeb p. 137, Helena (nom) ibid. p. 118; 1586 Helena (nom) ibid. p. 118; 1587/8 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 28; 1589 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 30; 1590/1 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 119; 1590 Elina (nom) ibid. p. 30; 1591 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 32; 1592 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 119; 1593 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 33; 1594 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 34; 1595 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 35; 1595/6 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 36; 1596 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 36; 1597/8 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 37; 1598 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 120; 1598/9 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 38; 1599 Elena (nom) ibid. p. 38
Dutch: ● 1573 Helena AuFr p. 88; 1575 Helena ibid. p. 90; 1577 Helena ibid. Heijn; 1578 Helene ibid. s'Kosters; 1587 Helena ibid. Giele; ◑ 1584 Eelken AuFr p. 91
Middle English: ● 1418 Elene EEW p. 44; 1420 Elyn ibid. p. 53; 1429 Ellen WillsInv LV
Early Modern English: ● 1530 Helen LIWill-III p. 20, Helene ibid. p. 5; 1530/31 Helene ibid. p. 92; 1530 Hellyn ibid. p. 51; 1532–1533 Elyne CovGuild-2 p. 97; 1539 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 2, Ellyn WAmar-1 p. 107, Elyn BarnstapleBap p. 1; 1540 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 2, Elyn BarnstapleBap p. 2; 1541 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 2; 1542 Elyn BarnstapleBap p. 2; 1543 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 2; 1544 Elyng BarnstapleBap p. 4, Helen DEmar-vol1 p. 78; 1546 Elyn BarnstapleBap p. 5; 1547 Elen ExMar 1b, Elyn WillsInv XCIV, Helen DEmar-vol1 p. 79; 1548 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 3; 1549 Ellen ibid. p. 3; 1552 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 9, Elyn BarnstapleBap p. 7, Helen DEmar-vol1 p. 80; 1553/4 Elen ExMar 2a; 1553 Helen DEmar-vol1 p. 80; 1555 Eline bruton1 p. 2; 1557 Elin BarnstapleBap p. 10, Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 6; 1558 Elen RegSASel p. 2, Ellen StAnthonlin p. 12, Helin bruton1 p. 3; 1558–9 Ellen StMary-Ke p. 2; 1559 Ellen RegBeb p. 1, SOmar-vol9 p. 2, Ellin CAmar-vol1 p. 1, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 2, DEmar-vol1 p. 80, StMaryA p. 3, bruton1 p. 3, Helin ibid. p. 3, Helina HAmar-vol9 p. 2, Hellen DU-DSMMar; 1560/1 Elen RegSASel p. 7; 1560 Ellen BUmar-vol9 p. 147, RegBeb p. 3, StAnthonlin p. 13, Ellyn BUmar-vol2 p. 115, Helen SaxhamSf p. 56; 1561 Elyn BarnstapleBap p. 11, Helen StMaryA p. 3; 1562 Elena BUmar-vol2 p. 60, Ellen BEmar-vol2 p. 53, RegBeb p. 3; 1563 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 7; 1563/4 Ellen ibid. p. 7; 1563 Ellen BEmar-vol2 p. 54, RegBeb p. 5; 1564 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 7, BEmar-vol2 p. 54, RegBeb p. 5, Helen Redruth-Co p. 6; 1565 Ellen RegBeb p. 7, StAnthonlin p. 17, Helen SaxhamSf p. 2, StMaryA p. 4, Helyn BEmar-vol2 p. 128; 1567 Elyn ibid. p. 2, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 4; 1568/9 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 8; 1568 Ellen RegBeb p. 9, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 4, Hellin CAmar-vol1 p. 2; 1569 Ellen RegBeb p. 9, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 4, Helena SaxhamSf p. 39; 1570 Ellen RegBeb p. 10, RegPat p. 31, StAnthonlin p. 21, Helena SaxhamSf p. 2; 1571 Hellin CAmar-vol1 p. 2; 1572 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 22, Ellin CAmar-vol1 p. 2, Ellyn BEmar-vol2 p. 129, WAmar-1 p. 97, Elyn BEmar-vol2 p. 129, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 5, Helene SaxhamSf p. 2; 1573 Elen COmar-vol5 p. 4, Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 9; 1573/4 Ellen ibid. p. 9; 1573 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 22, Helen bruton1 p. 114; 1574 Ellen RegBeb p. 14, Elline RegBath p. 2, Helen bruton1 p. 41; 1575 Elen RegSoAMar p. 7, Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 9, BUmar-vol1 p. 26, RegBeb p. 15, RegPat p. 2; 1576 Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 5; 1577 Elen COmar-vol5 p. 5, Ellen RegBeb p. 17, RegPat p. 33, Hellen StAnthonlin p. 25; 1578 Ellen BUmar-vol1 p. 26, RegBeb p. 18; 1578/9 Ellin RegPat p. 103; 1578 Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 6, DEmar-vol1 p. 83; 1579 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 10, RegBeb p. 19; 1580 Ellen ibid. p. 20; 1580/81 Elline RegBisham p. 4; 1580 Helena BUmar-vol2 p. 63, Helene SaxhamSf p. 56; 1581 Ellen BUmar-vol2 p. 117, RegBeb p. 21, RegSoAMar p. 10, StAnthonlin p. 28, Hellin CAmar-vol1 p. 3; 1582 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 11, BEmar-vol2 p. 96; 1582/3 Ellen RegPat p. 35; 1582 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 29; 1583 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 11, BUmar-vol9 p. 148, OrpingtonKe p. 6, Ellyn BEmar-vol2 p. 130, Hellin CAmar-vol1 p. 129, Hellyn BUmar-vol2 p. 117; 1584 Ellen RegBeb p. 25, WAmar-1 p. 132, Helena BUmar-vol2 p. 64; 1585 Elen COmar-vol5 p. 7, Ellen RegPat p. 106, Elling ibid. p. 106, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 7, DEmar-vol1 p. 85, bruton1 p. 116; 1586 Elen BEmar-vol2 p. 69, Ellen COmar-vol2 p. 123, Elling Bar-in-El p. 16, Helline ibid. p. 16; 1587 Elline ibid. p. 27; 1588 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 13, BEmar-vol2 p. 69, Helen DEmar-vol1 p. 85, Helena BUmar-vol2 p. 64, Hellin CAmar-vol1 p. 4, Helline Bar-in-El p. 26; 1589 Elan COmar-vol5 p. 128, Elen BEmar-vol2 p. 130, Eline BUmar-vol2 p. 117, Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 13; 1589/90 Ellen ibid. p. 13, BEmar-vol2 p. 54; 1589 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 34; 1590 Hele DEmar-vol2 p. 20, Hellin CAmar-vol1 p. 130; 1591 Elyne BEmar-vol2 p. 3, Hellen RegPat p. 110; 1592 Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 15; 1592/3 Ellen ibid. p. 15, RegPat p. 111; 1592 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 35, Ellyn WAmar-1 p. 98, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 8, DEmar-vol2 p. 25; 1593 Ellen StAnthonlin p. 36, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 8, bruton1 p. 10, Helena BUmar-vol2 p. 65; 1594 Ellen COmar-vol2 p. 123, Helen DEmar-vol1 p. 87, Hellin CAmar-vol1 p. 5; 1595 Ellen BUmar-vol1 p. 27, Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 9, Bar-in-El p. 31; 1596 Ellen DEmar-vol2 p. 34, RegSoAMar p. 18, Ellin HAmar-vol9 p. 93; 1597 Helen BUmar-vol9 p. 10; 1598 Elin BEmar-vol2 p. 31, Ellen BEmar-vol1 p. 17; 1599 Ellen BUmar-vol1 p. 27, DEmar-vol2 p. 41, RegGorton p. 1, Ellin RegPat p. 114; ◑ 1563 Elineta BUmar-vol2 p. 60
Middle French: ● 1577 helaine WCS p. 13; 1580 helaine ibid. p. 16; 1585 Heleine ibid. p. 19; 1586 Heleine ibid. p. 20
Walloon: ● 1590/1 Eleine RWC p. 16; 1591/2 Elaine ibid. p. 20; 1591 Elene ibid. p. 19; 1592 Elaine ibid. p. 23, Elane ibid. p. 20, Eleine ibid. p. 23, Elene ibid. p. 20; 1593 Elaine ibid. p. 29, Helaine ibid. p. 27

Finland

Early Modern Swedish: ● 1548 Elin Audén1980 p. 167

France

Latin: ● 958x92 Elena (nom) St-Barnard-Romans no. 87
Middle French: ● 1501 Heleyne MHCG2 274; 1563 Hélène RegPCC-1 p. 25; 1565 Elène ibid. p. 125, Helaine ibid. p. 166; 1566 Hélaine ibid. p. 259; 1567 Elayne ibid. p. 340; 1571 Helayne ibid. p. 452, Hélayne ibid. p. 447

Germany

Early New High German: ● 1410 Helenen (nom) UrkJen2 20; 1497 Helena Nurn1497 449, Helenan ibid. 2596

Italy

Latin: ● 1366 Helenam (acc) Livi 34; ◑ 1010 Leni skinner p. 113; 1366 Lenam (acc) Livi 38
Italian: ● 1513x1521 Elena LeoX p. 33; ◑ 1513x1521 Lena LeoX p. 34

Poland

Latin: ● 1441 Helena (nom) CDP2-2 CCCXCII, Helene (gen) ibid. CCCXCII

Scotland

Latin: ● 1426 Elena (abl) RMSRS-2 55; 1426/7 Elene (dat) ibid. 75; 1426 Elene (gen) ibid. 55; 1426/7 Helene (dat) ibid. 74
Scots: ● 1488 Elena PGB; 1542 Elena ibid.; 1565 Elena ibid.; 1566 Elena ibid.; 1586 Helen ibid.; 1590 Helen ibid.; 1596 Helen ibid.; 1597 Helen ibid.

Spain

Catalan: ● 1510 Elena valencia1510 3700
Spanish: ● 1575 Elena Catalogo-5.2 3858; 1576 Elena ibid. 3954

Sweden

Latin: ● 1323 Elenam (acc) SDHK no. 3200; 1340 Helene (gen) ibid. 4551; 1350 Elene (gen) ibid. no. 6020, Eliane (gen) ibid. no. 6030, Ælynæ (gen) ibid. no. 6015
Old Swedish: ● 1377 Elin (nom) SDHK no. 10938; 1383 Ælina SRA-vol2 no. 1917, Ælinas (gen) ibid. no. 1917; 1403 Ælin (nom) SDHK no. 16167; 1414 Elin (nom) ibid. no. 18236; 1417 Ælin (nom) ibid. no. 18863

Switzerland

Latin: ● 1492/3 Helenam (acc) MHCG2 253, Helene (dat) ibid. 253
Middle French: ● 1501 Helaine MHCG2 271

Ukraine

Latin: ● 1469 Helenam (acc) AGZ-18 16; 1479 Elena (nom) ibid. CVIII-1309

Wales

Latin: ● 1581 Elena (nom) RegCon1 p. 36
Welsh: ● 1543 Eline RegCon1 p. 4, Elyn ibid. p. 4; 1582 Ellen ibid. p. 37; 1583 Elen ibid. p. 40; 1589 Elen ibid. p. 56

Cite as: A. Brown, R. Le Get, N. Shiel, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Ellen". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2020, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2020/1/name/Ellen.