Ellen Family History

English: from the Middle English female personal name Elen Elin Helen (Old French Helene from Latin Helena Greek Helenē related to helanē ‘torch’ and helē ‘brightness of the sun’). The popularity of this as a personal name is due largely to Saint Helena mother of the Emperor Constantine who was influential as a Christian proselytizer in Byzantium.

Medieval English legend asserted almost certainly wrongly that she was of British origin. English (of Norman origin): variant of Hellen. English: topographic name for someone who lived by or among elder-trees from Middle English ellen (Old English elle(r)n).

Dutch and North German: patronymic from the personal name El(le) probably a shortened form of an ancient Germanic name with the element adal ‘noble’.