Where does “formerly known as” come from?

formerly known as (English) comes from English As, from English -s, from English ’s, from English Kingstown, from English town, from Middle English toun, from Middle English ende, from Old English ende — on, onto.

Ancestry of “formerly known as”, step by step

formerly known as traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English As

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishAsplural of A; plural of A*
2English-sUsed to form regular plurals of nouns; Used to...
3English’s
4EnglishKingstownOS grid ref NY3959
5EnglishtownA settlement; an area with residential districts,...
6Middle Englishtountown
7Middle EnglishendeThe end or finishing of a thing; the terminal...
8Old Englishendeend, limit, border, corner
9Proto-Germanicandiin addition, furthermore, and
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntiopposite; near; in front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
13Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via English formerly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishformerlyat some time in the past; previously; once
2EnglishformerPrevious; First of aforementioned two items. Used...
3Middle Englishformer
4Middle Englishformefirst; shape, figure, manner, bench, frame, seat,...
5Old Englishformafirst
6Old Englishforebefore; forepart, front
7Proto-Germanicfuraibefore, in front of; before, in front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English known

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishknownIdentified as a specific type; famous, renowned;...
2Middle Englishknowento know
3Old Englishcnāwanto know, perceive, recognise; to know, recognise,...
4Proto-West Germanicknāanto recognise, to know
5Proto-Germanicknēanąto know, recognise, understand
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵneh₃-to know
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en-