The type of motor vehicle van is first used around 1970 in the US as a short form of caravan, which had been used to describe that kind of vehicle in the US since 1962. Minivans, as contrasted with “full-size vans”, were popularized by 1984 Chrysler models, although the phrase “mini van” is sporadically found describing both US and UK vehicles going back to 1959. More generally, van has been used to refer to a covered wagon or covered train car in English since 1820, also beginning as a short form of caravan.
The group of people traveling together caravan has a much older history, first borrowed into English in the 1500s. It was influenced by both French caravane and Italian carovana, both meaning “caravan”, both of which were borrowed from Persian کاروان (kârvân), also meaning “caravan”, in the 1200s due to contact during the Crusades. kʾlwʾn’ (kārawān) can be found in Middle Persian writing as early as the 300s. Although the word can’t be traced back any earlier, we know caravans and their associated infrastructure caravanserais have been prominent since at least 800 BCE.