Boston Public Library - Electric Scotland

2 OKIGIN OF THE NAME ALISON.
tury, from which, dropping the final d, it would naturally
come, and which is derived from Grimm from Gothic Alja^
Alius (in the probable sense of stranger or foreigner), and
Sind in the sense of companion or attendant."
From the foregoing, if the theories of Mr. Ferguson are correct,
it cannot but strike the reader with what exceeding ease
(the initial vowel being of "no account ") the same name
could be written Alison, Elison, Allison, Ellison.
Charles W. Bardsley, M. A., in his choice work, " Our English
Surnames, their Sources and Significations," London,
cites these instances: ^
Alan (v. Allen) Alan fil. Warin.
Alanson (v. Allinson), William Alynson, Thomas Allason.
Alison, Ric. fil. Alise, A. Goselin fil. Alice, A.
Alisceon de Tuxforth, W. 2. Alison Gelyot, H.
These with other instances are cited.
In the text he says, —" Out of many forms to be found in
every early roll, those of '
'
'
'
Ellis,' Elys,' Elice,' EUice,'
'Elyas,' 'Helyas,' and the diminutive 'Eliot,* or 'Elliot,'
seem to have been the most familiar. Numberless are the
surnames sprung from it. It is thus that we get our '
Ellises '
and '
Ellices,' our '
Ellsons '
and '
Ellisons,' our ' Elkins '
and
'Elkinsons,' our 'Elcocks' and '
Ellcocks,' and our '
Ellicots,'
'
Elliots,' and '
Elliotsons.' In the North 'Alls '
seems to have
gained the supremacy. Thus it is we have our many 'Alli-
sons '
or 'Alisons.' "
In a note he —"We says, cannot but
believe, however, that in many instances these two are but
the offspring of 'Alice,' at this period one of tlie most popular
of female names. Nor must we forget that Allison was
itself used as a personal name, that being the Norman-French
pet name of Alise, after the fashion of Marion, Louison,
Beaton," &c.
We are all acquainted with the "Alison " of the " Canterbury
Tales,"—
Who is there
That knocketh so ? I warrant him a thefe."
" This Alison answered ;
And again he says,—" With regard to 'Alls '
and '
Alison and Elison recorded in the
Elis,' and
text, I reader that A and E were all but
may remind the
convertible names with
the Normans."
Judge Nathaniel Holmes, of Cambridge, Mass., who has
given the subject attention, says, —" I have little doubt that