Alderney late 300s, at above the island's only natural harbour. The etymology of the island's name is obscure. It is known in Latin as "Riduna" but as with the names of all the Channel Islands in the Roman period there is a degree of confusion. "Riduna" may be the original name of Tatihou, while Alderney is conjectured to be identified with "Sarnia". "Alderney"/"Aurigny" is variously supposed to be a Germanic or Celtic name. It may be a corruption of "Adreni" or "Alrene", which is probably derived from an Old Norse word meaning "island near the coast". Alternatively it may derive from
French Island (Victoria) collect shellfish and swan eggs. There are several registered sites on the island that consist of shell middens and stone scatters that they left behind. In April 1802, a French expedition ship "Naturaliste" under Jacques Hamelin explored the area, as part of the Baudin expedition to Australia. He named the island "Île de Françoise", since Anglicised as French Island. The first European settlers on the island were William and John Gardiner in 1847. They had the first pastoral lease and grazed 8,000 sheep. The first land subdivision was in 1867 when 4733 acres were divided into 14 allotments. The first