Boston Public Library - Electric Scotland

DERIVATION OF THE NAME. 3
this use of A and E is a mere variation in the spelling con-
sequent upon a difference of pronunciation. Further, I am inclined
to think that the two names 'Allan,' 'Allenson,' Allin-
son, Allison, '
Ellis,' 'Alice,'' Ellison,' '
Elison,' and perhaps
'Alison,' arose in two or more different places, among distinct
and unrelated families, though originating as surnames in the
same manner, viz., by adding
so^n. to the former Christian or
'personal' name, as Allen'son, Alan'son, and Alice's or
Ellis'son. This is shown in the instances cited by Mr.
Bardsley, Ric-fil. Alise, Goselin lil. Alice. So, also, in Alanson
(v. Allinson) we have Brien fil. Alan, as also Allen'sson,
perhaps, whence probably Alanson, Allinson, Alynson,
Allason, Allison."
Henry Brougham Guppy, M. B., Edinburgh, F. R. S. E.,
F. R., Scottish Geographical Soc, &c., London, 1890, says in
his " Homes of Family Names in Great Britain," that "Allen,
—from Alan, a common personal name at the time of the
Norman Conquest. Widely distributed, but excepting
Northumberland, rare in the Northern counties beyond the
Humber and the Mersey, and infrequent also in the four
south-western counties of England and ; the principal centres
of the name seem at present to be in Derbyshire, Hants,
Leicestershire, Rutlandshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk.
Allan is a frequent form across the Scottish borders, and is
it extends
especially characteristic of the south of Scotland ;
into Northumberland, where Allen also occurs." Page 23.
The derivation of the name might be thus : Allen, Allenson,
Allinson, Allison. He —"
says, Allinson was a name
well known in York (county) in the 17th century. William
Allenson, draper, who received the honor of knighthood and
represented that city in Parliament, was Lord Mayor of York
in 1633 and 1655."
Rev. Archibald Alison writes, Oct. 23, 1892 : "In a 'His-
tory of the Norman People and their Descendants in the
British Dominions and the United States of America,' published
in London, 1874, the writer derives the Allisons from
Bernard de Alencon, who held several Lordships from Her-
vey de Bourges, Suffolk, in England. He alludes to a castle
of this name, viz.. Castle Alenccm, which belonged to one of
the sons of Alan, Duke of Brittany of the 8th century, a
castle which is still to be seen, although now in ruins. The
origin of these Allisons shows that they are AUansons, or
sons of Alan. These Allisons are quite different from those
of Avondale, Scotland, for the Allisons there were originally
Allisters or Alexanders of Loupe, Scotland."