Allen - the little rock.

Hard to believe, but Allentown PA and McAllen TX have connections to Little Rock dating back to nearly a thousand years ago.

In medieval times, a popular name for a mother to name her baby was Allen. The name was made even more numerous when one of the early day bishops was so popular that he was like a medieval movie star. After his death, he was elevated to St. Alan, which made more mothers want to name their sons after him. There is still a St. Alan’s Church in Cornwall, England, with the name dating back to the sixth century.

Towns back then were different than they are today. They were so small that a man named John might be one of the only ones in the area. Later, as settlements grew, other words were added to describe people. John the elder, John the baker, or John the son of John – John’s son. It was the beginning of last names, words that described a man based on his job, his father’s name, a nickname, or the place where he lived. Allen is an example of a personal name – a last name that originally was somebody’s first name.

In that time when last names were just beginning, among the John the bakers, and John the Younger, was also John of Allen…you know, John - Allen’s son. Allen as a last name shows up in lots of varieties: Allen, Allenson, Hallenson. Mac is the gaelic word for “son of” – so McAllen means, son of Allen. The Norman term for son was “fitz,” and so came Fitzallen. The Irish use O for the same purpose, and in Ireland the name came down as O’Hallen and sometimes just Hallen. The Germanic languages have their own versions that originated in much the same fashion.

Spelling wasn’t the art that it is today – and the various Allen families wound up with different versions, but no matter how its spelled, those with the name Allen can trace their name to a man in medieval times named Allen.

When towns were laid out in early America, some were named for pioneering Allens, like Allentown PA and McAllen Texas. Oh – and that connection to Little Rock? Allen, the original first name comes from the Gaelic word ail which means rock, and ailin – or “little rock.”

Last names – we all have one, and mine’s McHuston. Check back for the story of your's – it’s bound to be One Famous Name !

Check out the bookstore at http://mchustonbooks.com/
Authors: visit Inlandia Press at http://inlandiapress.com/