Contents [hide]

Allen History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Allen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

While the majority of the bearers of Allen in Ireland are of English or Scottish origins, there were indigenous Irish bearers of Allen, who derived their name from the Gaelic "O hAilin."

Early Origins of the Allen family

The surname Allen was first found in Ulster (Irish: Ulaidh). Probably one of the best known early representatives of the family was John Allen (Alen) (1476-1534), Archbishop of Dublin whose early "Register" is still known as a very valuable source of medieval life in Ireland. He became Lord Chancellor but was assassinated by Lord Thomas FitzGerald's followers. At this time there was also another group located on the borders of Mayo and Roscommon.

Early History of the Allen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Allen research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1652, 1848 and 1867 are included under the topic Early Allen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Allen Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacEllin, Hallion, Alen, MacAilin, MacEllen and many more.

Early Notables of the Allen family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

William Philip Allen (1848-1867) one of the "Manchester Martyrs"...

Allen World Ranking

In the United States, the name Allen is the 27^th most popular surname with an estimated 494,913 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Allen is ranked the 85^th most popular surname with an estimated 30,717 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Allen is the 746^th popular surname. 3 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Allen as 367^th with 126 people. 4 Australia ranks Allen as 48^th with 40,354 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Allen as 61^st with 5,020 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Allen as 41^st with 88,676 people. 7

Allen migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Allen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Allen, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 8
Mr. Allen, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 8
William Allen, who landed in Massachusetts in 1623 8
William Allen, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Southampton" 8
William Allen, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1624 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Allen, who landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1701 8
Eliza Allen, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 8
James Allen, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 8
Samuel Allen, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1702 8
William Allen, who landed in South Carolina in 1702 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Allen, aged 25, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 8
Isabella Allen, aged 32, who landed in New York, NY in 1803 8
James Allen, who arrived in South Carolina in 1805 8
John Allen, who arrived in America in 1805 8
Thomas Allen, who arrived in America in 1805 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Robert Allen, (b. 1877), aged 23, Cornish miner traveling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 5th May 1900 en route to Calumet, Michigan, USA 9
Mr. Thomas Allen, (b. 1866), aged 34, Cornish miner traveling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 18th February 1900 en route to Coalfax, California, USA 9
Mr. John Allen, (b. 1883), aged 20, Cornish miner, from St. Stephens, Cornwall traveling aboard the ship "Cedric" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 21st March 1903 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 9
Mr. John Allen, (b. 1867), aged 36, Cornish miner traveling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1903 en route to Calumet, Michigan, USA 9
Mr. John Allen, (b. 1877), aged 27, Cornish engine driver, from St. Austell, Cornwall traveling aboard the ship "Pretoria" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 27th May 1904 en route to Iron Mountain, Michigan, USA 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Allen Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Alexander Allen, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
William Allen, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
John Allen, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Thomas Allen, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Eliz Allen, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Allen, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1815
Timothy Allen, who arrived in Canada in 1828
John Allen, who arrived in Canada in 1830
M. Allen, aged 22, a gentleman, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Ward" from Limerick, Ireland
Thomas Allen, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Trafalgar" from Galway, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Allen Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Miss Margaret Allen, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 14 years for receiving stolen goods, transported aboard the "Bellona" in July 1792, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. James Allen, (Allender), English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Miss Elizabeth Allen, (b. 1772), aged 26, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12

Allen Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Abraham Allen, British Convict who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. Thomas Allen, British Convict who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Miss Ann Allen, British Convict who was convicted in Derby, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr. John Allen, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Miss Mary Allen, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Allen Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Allen, who landed in Waipa, Auckland, New Zealand in 1804
Mr. Allen, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Bee" arriving in New Zealand in 1839 15
Thomas Allen, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
W Allen, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
William Allen, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Cuba
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Allen migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16

Allen Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

Thomas Allen, who landed in Antigua (Antego) in 1711 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Allen (post 1700) +

Robert Gray "Bob" Allen (1937-2023), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians (1961–1963, 1966–1967)
Gary Eugene Allen (1960-2023), American professional football running back in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL)
Florence Ellinwood Allen (1884-1966), American jurist and feminist, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (1959-1966), Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (1958-1959), inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2005
Raymond Gilmore Allen (1929-2020), American television actor, known for Sanford and Son (1972), Darktown Strutters (1975) and Mean Mother (1973).
Bill Allen (1937-2022), American businessman who was the CEO of the Alaska oilfield services company VECO Corporation
Lucas Gale "Luke" Allen (1978-2022), American Major League Baseball outfielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies from 2002–2003
Rae Allen (1926-2022), stage name of Raffaella Julia Theresa Abruzzo, an American Tony award winning actress of stage, film and television, director, and singer, with a career spanning some eight decades, best known for her roles in All in the Family (1972-1973) and in The Sopranos and A League of Their Own (1992)
Lloyd Patrick Allen (1961-2021), American professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers (1984–1990)
Mildred Allen (1929-2021), American operatic soprano who had an active career during the 1950s and 1960s
Joe Allen (1934-2021), American founder Joe Allen, a restaurant known as Broadway meeting place for working actors, theater staff and fans
... (Another 83 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Allen family +

Flight TWA 800

Mr. Otis Lamar Allen (d. 1996), from Mariette, Georgia, USA, American passenger flying aboard flight TWA 800 with his son Ashton Allen from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; he died in the crash 17
Mr. Ashton Lamar Allen (1981-1996), from Mariette, Georgia, USA, American passenger flying aboard flight TWA 800 with his dad Otis Lamar Allen from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; he died in the crash 17

Fraterville mine

Mr. Robert H. Allen (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 18

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Elizabeth Allen (1845-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 19
Mrs. Amy A Allen (1869-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 19
Mr. John Robert Allen (1887-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 19
Ms. Georgina Allen (1889-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 19
Miss Elsie Allen (1901-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 19

HMS Dorsetshire

Walter William Brereton Allen (d. 1945), British Leading Stoker aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 20

HMS Hood

Mr. William E S Allen (b. 1916), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Brighton, Sussex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
Mr. John G Allen (b. 1907), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
Mr. James E Allen (b. 1904), English Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Brighton, Sussex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
Mr. Edward B Allen (b. 1919), English Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from North Kensington, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
Mr. Charles W Allen (b. 1919), English Leading Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Godstone, Surrey, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
... (Another 1 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Royston Frederick Allen, British Boy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 22
Mr. Herbert James Allen (b. 1920), English Marine from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, also sailed aboard HMS Anking and was lost in 1942 22
Mr. Graeme Philip Allen, British Midshipman Royal Indian Navy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, also sailed aboard the HMS Exeter 22

HMS Repulse

Mr. William K Allen, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 23
Mr. Jack Allen (b. 1915), English Leading Seaman from Undercliffe, Bradford, England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 23

HMS Royal Oak

Percy Leo Allen (1912-1939), born in Poole, Dorset, England, British Leading Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 24
Arthur Frederick Allen (1920-1939), born in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, England, British Stoker 2nd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 24

Prince of Wales colliery

Mr. William Allen (b. 1849), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 25

RMS Lusitania

Mr. John Allen, American 2nd Class passenger from Philadephia, Pennsylvania, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 26
Mr. Norman Frederick Allen, English Second Waiter from Hurst Pier Point, Sussex, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 26
Miss Dorothy Ditman Allen, American 1st Class Passenger from Philadephia, Pennsylvania, USA going to Liverpool, England as maid to the Crompton family, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 26

RMS Titanic

Mr. Robert Spencer Allen (1876-1912), aged 36, English First Class Bedroom Steward from Shirley, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 27
Henry Allen (1882-1912), aged 32, English fireman aboard the RMS Titanic who died in the sinking, he was recovered by the Mackay-Bennett (No. 177) and was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia on 8 May 1912 27
Mr. George Allen (1886-1912), aged 26, English Scullion from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 27
Mr. Ernest Frederick Allen (1888-1968), aged 24, English Trimmer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking, he died in 1968 27
Mr. Frederick Allen (d. 1912), aged 17, English Lift Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 27
... (Another 2 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

SS Caribou

Miss Constance Melina Allen (b. 1941), British from Big Tancook Island, Lunenburgh, Nova Scotia was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, she died in the sinking
Miss Carol Anne Allen (b. 1939), British from Big Tancook Island, Lunenburgh, Nova Scotia was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, she died in the sinking
Mrs. Oda Blanche Allen (b. 1916), British passenger from Big Tancook Island, Lunenburgh, Nova Scotia was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, she died in the sinking

USS Arizona

Mr. Robert Lee Allen, American Shipfitter Third Class from Oregon, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 28
Mr. William Clayborn Allen, American Electrician's Mate First Class from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 28
Mr. William Lewis Allen, American Storekeeper Second Class from Texas, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 28

The Allen Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtus auro praeferenda
Motto Translation: Virtue is to be preferred to gold.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bellona
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Washington Post Passenger List TWA Flight 800. (Retrieved 2018, February 15th). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/list01.htm
News paper article Fraterville Mine Disaster retrieved on 6th August 2021. (Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/fraterville.htm).
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html