Alben - Name

This interesting name is one of the rarer variant spellings which developed from the Latin "Albanus" through to the Old English "Alban" as found in the modern town of "St. Alban's". It was originally an ethnic name from one of the many "Alba's" in Italy and means "white". As a given or christian name it was popular in most European and Scandinavian countries, the late post - 1100 A.D. surnames however developed into a wide range of spellings which include Alban, Alben, Albin, Alybon, Albon and the eccentric Albone or Allbone(s)! The name development into these variations is as a result of dialectal transpositions coupled with inadequate spelling or writing even up to modern times. Examples of the name include Henry Allben of Holborn, London, recorded at St. Andrew's Church on December 12th 1712, whilst earlier in 1606, John Alben was a christening witness at the church of St. Mary Whitechapel on June 30th of that year in the reign of James 1 of England 1603 - 1625. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Alban, which was dated 1250, The Buckinghamshire Book of Court Fees, during the reign of King Henry 111, nicknamed "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.