Etymology Dictionary

UHLAN, ULAN,  a lancer.  (G.,—Polish,—Turkish.)   Modern.  G. uhlan, a lancer.—Pol. ulan, an uhlan; which, according to Scheler and Littré, is from Polish ula, a lance (?).   β. But, according to Mahn (in Webster) an uhlan is one of a kind of light cavalry of Tataric origin, first introduced into European armies in Poland; the word is not (he thinks) of Polish origin, the Polish ulan, a lancer, being only borrowed from Turkish oglán, a youth, lad.   ¶ This seems right; I find no Polish ula, but only ul, a bee-hive; and the Polish for 'lance' is wlocznia. [†]

ADDENDA

The word is certainly pure Turkish, and of Tatar origin.   The Turk. is oglán, oglan (vulgarly ólan), a son, youth, lad, servant; Zenker's Dict. p. 124.   Cf. also ogul, ogúl, a son, child.   The Tatar word is oglán, a son, child; which was formerly in use, among the Moguls, as a title of princes of the blood royal; Pavet de Courteille, Dict. Turk-Oriental, p. 68.   Cf. also Tatar ogúl, son.