Where does “thane” come from?

thane (Middle English) comes from Old English þæġn, from Proto-Germanic *þegn, from Proto-Germanic þegnaz, from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- — to sire, beget.

Ancestry of “thane”, step by step

thane traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English þæġn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishþæġn—
2Proto-Germanic*þegn—
3Proto-Germanicþegnazretainer, servant
4Proto-Indo-Europeanteḱ-to sire, beget

via Old English þegn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishþegnservant; man, warrior, hero

via Old English þeġen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishþeġenlord, thane
Every word from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þegnaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic *þegn →