The Allen Family is among the forty-nine “best families” selected by the American Historical-Genealogical Society for whom the Society has published family histories during the past few years.
The Allen Family has been prominent in the British Empire and in the United States, its members having played important roles in war and in peace. Family pride is a commendable trait and should be cultivated. All Allens have just cause to be proud of their family history and traditions.
In references No. 17, No. 3 and No. 7 we find the following regarding the Origin of the name Allen:
The name Allen was also spelled Alleine, Alleyne, Allin and Alland, and it appears on a record of baptism as “the son of Alan.” It was one of the most popular names while surnames were becoming hereditary, and is said to have come into England with Alan Fergeant, Count of Brittany, companion of the Conqueror, and first Earl of Richmond, Count of York. It soon became common to North England and the Scottish border.
The oldest known form of the name, found on 10th century Breton coins, is Alamnus. It is mentioned as Aleyn in “Morte d’Arthur,” and in Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” we are familiar with
“Forth goth Alein, the clerk,
And also John.”
The Dutch form of Allen is Alink; the French, Allain. Derivations are Allcock, Allkins and Allnut.
The founder of Dulwich College, 1619, was Edward Allen, or Alleyne.
The data in this volume is gathered from reliable sources. We have selected what we consider the most important material. Many of the daughters, and sons for whom no issue was shown, have been omitted from the pedigrees. A missing symbol indicates that a name has been omitted. Those desiring further information are advised to consult the volumes mentioned in the list of References.
The compiler hopes that, in producing this volume he is bringing to the Allen Family information which will be of interest and value to them, and that he is rendering an important service to the public. He and his associates will be glad to give their co-operation to members of the family who are interested in having a complete genealogy of the family published.
Unless otherwise plainly shown, the persons in this volume whose names are accompanied by three figures are children of the immediately preceding persons bearing immediately preceding numbers. All persons in each group bearing the same letter as a part of their numbers are directly related. The generations of the descendants of those bearing numbers of three figures are represented as follows. However, some of our material is published as copied from various records without rearrangement according to this system.
Generations 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Symbols (1), etc. (A), etc. (a), etc. 1, etc. A, etc.
Generations 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
Symbols a, etc. (I), etc. (i), etc. I, etc. i, etc.
Abbreviations: add., address; b., born; ch., children; coll., college; d., died; d. y., died young; d. w. i., died without issue; dau., daughter; grad., graduated; l., lives, lived; m., married, moved; s., son, succeeded; d. s. p., died without issue; d. v. p., died before father; univ., university. Compiler.