This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Alexander'; v. Saunders. This personal name is common to all Europe, and in England was an early favourite. Stories of prodigious achievements, many of them miraculous, caused it to be immensely admired. Miss Yonge quotes Chaucer as saying:

'Alisaundres storie is commune.

That everie wight that hath discrecioune

Hath herde somewhat.'

'Alysannder, propyrname Alexander': Promptorium Parvulorum

Geoffrey fil. Alexandra, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Alexander le Syre, Huntingdonshire, ibid.

Custance Alexandre, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Henricus Alisaundre, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

John Alysannder, of Attleburgh, Norfolk, 1508: History of Norfolk.

1614-5. George Barrume and Barbara Alexander: Marriage Lic. (London).

1617. Baptised — Francis, d. Peter Alexander: St. James, Clerkenwell.

From Greek Aλεξαvδpoς, defender of man. Miss Yonge has pointed out in her History of Christian names that nowhere is the name Alexander so thoroughly national as in Scotland, into which country it was introduced by Queen Margaret, wife of King Malcolm Ceannmor, from the Hungarian Court, where she was brought up."Her third son was the first of the three Alexanders, under whom the country spent her most prosperous days. The death of the last was a signal for the long death-feud between the northern and southern kingdoms, and all the consequent miseries" (I, p. 200,201). So popular indeed became the name in Scotland that Alexander in its diminutive form "Sandy" is even more the national name than "Donald."

As a surname Alexander is very common on the west coast, where, according to the authors of Clan Donald, some of the descendants of Godfrey, second son of Alastair Mor, appear to have settled in the Carrick district of Ayrshire, and several territorial families of Macalexander from this stock were prominent in that region, e.g. the MacAlexanders of Daltupene, Dalreoch, Corsclays, etc. About the end of the seventeenth century they dropped the 'Mac' (Clan Donald, III, p. 199). The Alexanders of Menstrie claimed to be connected with the Clan Donald and to be closely allied in blood with the Macallisters of Loup. Gilbert, son of Donald, son of Alastair Mor, got a grant of lands in Stirlingshire in 1330. There is no further trace of this family until the beginning of the sixteenth century, when they are found settled in Clackmannanshire (ibid., III, p. 189). William Alexander was connected with the accounts of the city of Edinburgh in 1435 (ER., IV, p. 663), Robert Alexander was a granger in Feichly and Drummelochy in Strathdon in 1438 (ER., V, p. 56), and the name is of frequent occurrence in the Moray rentals in the first half of the sixteenth century (Sc. Peer., VIII, p. 165). The name was early adopted into Gaelic, appearing as Alaxandair in the Gaelic Genealogical manuscript of 1467 (now spelled Alasdair), and as a patronymic it appears as M'Alasdair, whence the well-known Macalister, Macallister, etc. Aleckander 1501, Alisandre 1424, Alisschonder 1536, Alschinder 1546, Alschoner 1613, Alschunder 1581, Alshander 1581, Alshunder 1597, Alsinder 1539. The name is said to occur in Hittite as Alaksandu. See also Elshener.

(Aramaic-Greek) Defender of Man. [Greek Aλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) —Aλέξω (alexō), to defend; aνήρ, άνδρός (anēr, andrós), man].

This English name is numerous in Down and Antrim. Less than a century ago fourteen synonyms of it were recorded in Ulster birth registrations, e.g.

Elshinder, MacCalshender, all now rare. Woulfe gives Mac Alsandair as the Gaelic form. MacAlister and MacEllistrum (q.v.) are of similar Scottish origin

“Helper of Men” in Greek.

(Scottish, English) Descendant of Alexander (helper of mankind).

Alford (English) One who came from Alford (the alder ford, or the ford of Ealdgyth), villages in Lincolnshire and Somerset.

The personal name. In the H.R. it is variously written, as Alexandre, fil' Alex, Alexandri, &c. A common name itself, it has become, by the abbreviating process, the parent of others still more so. From its last two syllables we have Sander, Sanders, Sanderson, Saunder, Saunders, Saunderson, Sandie, Sandison, Sandercoclc; from its first two syllables we get in like manner, Alex, Allix, Alley, and Alken; and besides these forms we have the corruptions Elshender, Elshie, and probably Assender.

A benefactor. The family are descended from Alexander Macdonald, a great-grandson of Somerled, Thane of Argyle.

(Greek.) An aider or benefactor of men. From 'Aλεξω, to aid or help, and άνήρ, a man. A powerful auxiliary.

From the Dutch, from the German, personal name; from the French, Alexandre; a personal name.

The Alexanders of Kent were represented a hundred years ago by John Alexander, who owned Upper Golsdon Farm, in Ash (H.).

Alexander is an old Wilts name which is now mostly to be found in the Court Directory. The name was represented in this county in the Hundred Rolls about 600 years ago.