Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources
☙

Gwen f. Welsh gwen 'fair, white; blessed' from Proto-Celtic *windo 'white'.

The name was popular in Wales and spread from there into England; many English examples come from counties bordering Wales.

England
Early Modern English
● 1560 Gwen RegSASel p. 6
Wales
Latin
● 1453 Gwen (nom) ArchCambIII p. 70; 1455 Gwen (nom) ibid. p. 72
Welsh
● 1556 Gwen RegCon1 p. 12; 1560 Gwen ibid. p. 19; 1573 Gwen ibid. p. 27; 1580 Gwen ibid. p. 34; 1583 Gwen ibid. p. 39; 1589 Gwenne ibid. p. 56; 1590 Gwen ibid. p. 59; 1593 Gwen ibid. p. 67, Gwenne ibid. p. 68; 1595 Gwen ibid. p. 73; 1597 Gwen ibid. p. 81
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Gwen". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Gwen.