Recorded as Hopkin, Hopkins, Hopkinson, and since the 17th century much associated with Wales, this is an English patronymic derivative of the original pre 5th century Germanic warrior name Hrod-berht, translating as ‘renowned-fame’. ‘Borrowed’ by the French around the time of the Emperor Charlemagne in the 8th century, its spelling was slightly changed to Robert and became equally popular. In that spelling that it was introduced into England, Scotland and ultimately Wales, after the famous Norman Conquest of 1066. Over the next four hundred years Robert, perhaps as a result of its interesting meaning was so popular that it developed a wide range of surname variations, many not obviously connected with Robert - including this one. These variants now recorded as surnames in the own right include such short forms as Dob(b), Hob(b), Hop, Nob(b) and the most direct Rob, Robb, Robin, Robbins, and Robinson. Not surprisingly with such a pedigree, Hopkins is one of the earliest recorded surnames with examples in English records such as Nicholas Hobekyn of the county of Cambridge in the Hundred Rolls of England in 1273, Rychard Hobbekynessone in the Putname rolls of Cheshire in 1354, and Walter Hopkin of Warton, in the wills record of Lancaster in 1563. Surnames were much later in Wales than the rest of the British Isles, and when first recorded and given due allowance for both a change of language as well as dialect and (indifferent) spelling, it was as ab Popkyn, or the son of Hopkin. An early Welsh example was Johannis ab Popkyn in the rolls of the county of Monmouth in 1610. Over the centuries there were several coats of arms granted to name holders. The first was probably Hopkinson of Alford, Lincolnshire, in the time of Queen Elizabeth I (1558 – 1603) although the most unusual - is to Hopkins of Maryland, in the American colony of that name, in the year 1764. This was about ten years before official US independence.

FOSTER
 

This very interesting English medieval surname, the family name of the Lords Oriel of Ireland, has at least four possible origins. The first is an occupational name for a saddle tree maker, a very important occupation seven hundred or more years ago. Here the derivation is from the Old French "fustier", itself originating from the word "fustre", meaning a block of wood. This term was introduced into Britain after the 1066 Norman French invasion. Secondly, and again occupational, the name may describe a maker or user of "forcetier", these being steel shears widely used in both agriculture and textile production. A third possibility is that Foster is a contracted or dialectal spelling of Forester, a term which described a civil officer in charge of a forest. John Forester, who was recorded in the 1183 Pipe Rolls of the county of Surrey, was the first recorded bearer of this name. The last possible origin is very unusual. Here the derivation is from a shortened spelling of the Olde English pre 7th Century compound "cild-fostre", and as such an occupational nickname for a foster parent or possibly a foster child. John Foster, who was recorded in the 1373 Court Roll of the borough of Colchester, Essex, was of this source. The surname was one of the very first into the New England colonies of America. John Foster, age unknown, being recorded as being "alive in Virginea, on February 18th 1623". The first recorded spelling of the family name is probably that of Durand le Fuster, which was dated circa 1179, in the "Register of St. Bartholomew's Hospital", London, during the reign of King Henry II, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189.

WORMALD
 

This interesting and unusual name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname deriving from either of the places called 'Wormald' in the parishes of Barkisland and Rishworth in West Yorkshire, or from the place called 'Wormhill' in Derbyshire. The placename 'Wormald' means 'Wulfrun's spring, or stream', derived from the Old English pre 7th Century female personal name 'Wulfrun', composed of the elements 'wulf', wolf and 'run', secret, with the Northern English 'waell(a)', spring, stream; the excrescent 'd' of Wormald does not appear until the 17th Century. The place name 'Wormhill' is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Wruenete', and means either 'Wyrma's hill' or 'hill frequented by reptiles', from the Old English personal name or byname 'Wyrma', 'serpent', or 'wyrm', serpent, reptile, with 'hyll', hill. The surname can be found as Wormald, Wormhall, Wormal, Wormell, Warmoll or Wormull. The marriage of John Wormald and Mary Maud was recorded in Halifax, Yorkshire, on January 16th 1658. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alexander de Wormwall, which was dated 1379, The Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns, during the reign of King Richard II, 'Richard of Bordeaux', 1377-1399. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.

JERRETT
 

Recorded in a large number of forms (see below) some which seem to be only remotely connected with either original name, this is an English surname, but of Norman-French and ultimately Germanic origins. It is derived from either of the two pre 7th century personal names Gerard or Gerald, which were introduced into England by followers of William the Conqueror after the Invasion of 1066. The two names are recorded separately in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Gerardus" and "Geraldi". Gerard is composed of the elements "geri" or "gari", meaning "spear", with "hard", hardy, brave or strong, whilst "Gerald" means "spear-rule" from "geri", as before, and "wald". Such (sur)names were originally composed of vocabulary elements of the local language, and no doubt bestowed for their auspicious connotations. That the names were extremely popular can be seen by the great number and variety of modern surnames deriving from them including Garratt, Garrett, Garred, Jarrett, Jerrett, Yarlett and Yerlott, to Garrod, Jerrard and Jerrold. Recordings from early church registers include the marriage of Michael and Sarah Jarrett on February 2nd 1588, at Worth in Surrey, whilst Sarah Yarlett married William Burke at St James church, Dukes Place, Westminster, on September 20th 1680. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Gerard. This was dated 1230, in the "Pipe Rolls" of the county of Somerset, during the reign of King Henry III of England, 1216 - 1272.

PORTER
 

This interesting surname is of Old French origin, and has two possible sources; firstly, it may be an occupational name for the gatekeeper of a town, or a doorkeeper of a large house, deriving from the Middle English "porter", a development of the Old French "portier". Secondly, it may be an occupational name for a man who carried loads for a living, especially one who used his own muscle power rather than a beast of burden or a wheeled vehicle, from the Old French "porteo(u)r" to carry, convey. The surname is distinguished by being first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 (see below), and early recordings include William le Portier (1190), in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire, and Nicholas le Portur (1263), in "Middle English Occupational Terms" of Surrey. London Church Records list the christening of Edward, son of Thomas Porter, on September 14th 1546, at St. Matthew's, Friday Street, and the christening of John, son of Edward Porter, on June 24th 1599, at St. Stephen's, Coleman Street. A Coat of Arms granted to a Porter family in Allerby, Cumberland, is a red shield, on a gold fess, three blue church bells, a silver border engrailed. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Milo Portarius, porter at Winchester Castle, which was dated 1086, in the "Domesday Book of Hampshire" , during the reign of King William I, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.

MATTHEWS
 

This ancient English and Scottish surname was rarely recorded and never as a surname, before the Norman Invasion of 1066. Its popularity dates from the 12th century when returning Crusaders from the Holy Land gave it to one of their sons in commemoration of the fathers expedition. The derivation is from the Hebrew male given name "Mattathiah" meaning "gift of the Lord". It is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 in the Latin form 'Matthaeus' and in the French spelling 'Mathieu', but neither of these recordings are surnames, but names of priests. The surname is first recorded in the mid 13th Century and early examples include John Mathows of Whitby in Yorkshire in 1395 and Hugh Mathewman in the 1379 Poll Tax rolls, also of Yorkshire. The final "s" where appropriate, is a reduced form of "son of", although curiously the full patronymic is not recorded until the early 15th Century when John Matheuson appears in the register of the Freemen of York in the year 1416. Captain Samuell Matthews was one of the earliest settlers in the New World. He is listed as 'living at the plantation by James Cittie' (Virginia), in February 1623, whilst Christopher Mathews was recorded as marrying Ellyn Smith on the 18th May 1642, at St. Benet's, Paul's Wharf, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alan Mathew, which was dated 1260, in the Assize Rolls of Cambridge, during the reign of King Henry III, known as 'The Frenchman', 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.

DUTTON
 

This is an English locational name from either of the places so called in Cheshire or Lancashire. Dutton in Cheshire is first recorded as "Duntune" in the Domesday Book of 1086 and that in Lancashire as "Dotona" in 1102. They share the same derivation and meaning, which is "Dudda's village" or "settlement", derived from the Old English pre 7th Century personal name "Dudd(a)" with "tun", an enclosure, settlement or village, later a town. The family of Dutton whose ancestor is recorded below have been established at Dutton in Cheshire since the 11th Century. Hugh de Dutton was lord of the manor during the reign of Henry II (1154 - 1189). The marriage of Thomas Dutton and Judith Jennings is recorded in London in 1579. Among the recordings in Lancashire is the marriage of Edmund Dutton and Alice Teeller on February 2nd 1643 at Warrington. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Odard de Dutton, which was dated 1086, The Domesday Book, Cheshire, during the reign of King William I, "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.

WOOD
 

This famous and popular English and Scottish surname is of pre 7th century Olde English origins. Recorded in several forms including Wood, Woode, Woodd, Wod, Wode and the locational Woods and Woodes, it derives from the word "wudu" meaning a forest or wood. It was originally given either as a topographical name for one who was resident by a wood, or who in the case of the plural Woods related to a person who was both resident in the wood and who obtained his livelihood from the wood, probably as a forester. The surname is first recorded in the early half of the 13th Century (see below) and appears in a great variety of records during that century. These early examples include: Roger del Wode of Yorkshire in 1274; John Atewode of Essex, in the same year; William in le Wode of Cambridgeshire in 1279, and Henry Bythewode of Sussex, in 1296. The earliest recorded namebearer in Scotland was William Wod, a witness at Cawdor in 1295. Judy Wode was christened on October 28th 1549, at St. Margaret's church, Westminster, and Margarett, the daughter of John Wood, was christened on October 18th 1550 at St. Nicholas Acons, in the city of London. One of the earliest emigrants to the new colonies of America was John Wood, aged 26 yrs., who embarked from London on January 2nd 1634, settling in Virginia. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Walter de la Wode. This was dated 1242, in the "Fines Court" rolls of the county of Herefordshire, during the reign of King Henry III of England, 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax.

WOODMAN
 

This is an ancient English surname. It has several possible origins. Deriving from the pre 7th century Olde English words "wudu" meaning wood and "mann", a friend, foreman, or even a relative of a man called "Wood". It is first recorded as Wudman in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 which followed the Norman Conqest of 1066 and provided a listing of all landowners in the country, although Hugo Wudeman of Yorkshire recorded in the pipe rolls for that county in 1166 is probably the first of the surname to be clearly identifiable. The meaning of the name is obscure. It may be occupational and describe a person who owned or worked a wood, it may have been topographical and as such describe a dweller in a wood, or it may even have had some lost religious or tribal origin. John Wodeman who is recorded in the county of Dorset in the year 1213 would suggest that he lived in a wood, although Nicholas le Wodeman of Staffordshire in 1294, indicates that this was occupational name and described a wood worker.

BIRD
 

Recorded as Bird, Byrd, Byrde and Bride, this famous surname is English. It derives from the pre 7th century word "bridde" meaning a bird, and as a surname was originally given as a nickname to one thought to bear a fancied resemblance to a bird. This may have been from bright dress, or bright eyed and active, or perhaps to some one with a beautiful singing voice. The surname was first recorded towards the end of the 12th century (see below), and other early recordings include: Ralph le Brid, a witness in the Fines Court of Essex in the year 1231, and Richard Bird, a witness in the Assize Court of Cambridgeshire in 1260. The variant spelling Bride, most closely resembling the original Olde English "bridde", was first recorded as a surname in 1332, when John Bride was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Cumberland, and later in the Century, Johannes Bridde was recorded in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire. Occasionally, Bird (and its variants) may have been given as a metonymic occupational name to a bird catcher, and as such was a shortened form of the name "Birdclever", recorded in the 1427 "Calverley Charters of Yorkshire". Henry Bird was an early settler in the New World, he was recorded as purchasing a ticket for the ship "Amity" sailing to London, in July 1679 from Barbados. Recently the name has had much international notice through the famous cricket umpire 'Dickie' Bird of Yorkshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Earnald Brid, which was dated 1193, in the "Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire", during the reign of King Richard I, known as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199.

BAKER
 

This ancient surname is of Olde English pre 8th century origins deriving from the word 'boeccure'. The surname is always occupational, but not always for a maker of bread. There are a number of possible origins and these include an official with special responsibilities for the baking ovens in a monastery or castle, as well as the keeper of the 'communal kitchen' in a town or village, since most of the humbler households had no cooking facilities other than a pot over a fire. The right to be in charge of this service and to exact money or loaves in return for its use, was in many parts of Britain, a hereditary feudal privilege. Less often the surname may have been acquired by someone noted for specifically baking fine bread or as an owner of a kiln for the baking of pottery or even bricks. The surname is first recorded in the late 12th Century, and early recordings include such examples as Robert Bakere, a witness in the Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire for the year 1246, and Walter le Backere in the rolls of the county of Hampshire for 1280 a.d. The female form of the name is 'Baxter'. There have been no less than forty two 'Baker' entries in the "Dictionary of National Biography", and during the latter half of the 19th century the name was arguably the most famous in the country. This was owing to the exploits of Sir Samuel Baker, who with Stanley and Livingstone, was the greatest African explorer, and his brother, Valentine Baker, the famous Cavalry leader, known world wide as 'Baker Pasha'. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William le Bakere, which was dated 1177, in the "Pipe Rolls of Norfolk", during the reign of King Henry II, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.

WARREN
 

Recorded in the modern spellings of Warren and the much rarer Warran and Warron, this is an English surname, but one of medieval French origins, of which there are three. The first is locational from the village of La Varrenne in the departement of Seine-Maritime, and meaning the place on the sandy soil. The second topographical and describing someone who lived by a game park, whilst thirdly it may be occupational for someone employed in such a place. If so the derivation is from the Norman French word "warrene", meaning a warren or land set aside for breeding game. Introduced into England and Scotland after the Conquest of 1066, the surname is one of the earliest on record as shown below. Early examples of recordings include William de Warren in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, and William de Warenne, in the tax registers known as the Feet of Fines for the county of Essex in 1285. Recordings from surviving church registers include the marriage of William Waron and Alys Agno on May 13th 1542, at St. Margaret's Westminster, and the marriage of William Warren and Elizabeth Bullwack on January 25th 1544, at St. Martin Orgar in the city of London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Warenne. This was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book for London, during the reign of King William I of England, and known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087.

HARRIS
 

This ancient surname is English, Scottish and Irish, and is recorded in many spellings including Harry, Harrie, Harrhy, Harris, Harries, and Harriss. However spelt, all derive from the 11th century personal name Harry, itself a nickname form of Henry. "Henry", which originates from the pre 7th century Frankish name "Henn- ric", meaning "home-rule", was first introduced into Britain at the Norman Conquest of England, in 1066, and is recorded in the famous register known as the Domesday Book, in the year 1086. Over the next four centuries the name in all its spellings became very popular in England, although in Scotland the usual spelling is Harrison. The eight English kings called officially Henry, were all referred to as Hal or Harry. Early examples of the "Harry" surname recordings taken from authentic medieval charters, and showing the surname development, include Nicholas Herri, in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, and William Harrys, in the Eynsham Cartulary of Oxford, in the year 1406. Later recordings include those of Walter Harris (1647 - 1732), a court physician to King Charles II, and later William and Queen Mary, 1689 - 1694. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of John Harry, which was dated 1273, in the "Hundred Rolls" of the county of Buckinghamshire. This was during the reign of King Edward I, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307.

KNIGHT
 

This is a medieval status name from the Olde English pre 7th Century "criht", meaning boy, youth or serving lad, later extended to mean a tenant bound to serve his lord as a mounted soldier and therefore a man of some importance and substance. Later still, with the changes in the social structure of medieval England, the term "knight", (Middle English "knyghte") meant an honourable estate conferred by the king on men of noble birth who had served him well. The "Knights" of today, however, are far more likely to be descended from a servant in a knight's household or from someone who played the part of a knight in a medieval pageant or won the title in some contest of skill. Early recordings of the surname from this source include: Walter le Knit (1200, Oxfordshire), William Knight (1221, Worcestershire), and John Knyght (1275, Suffolk). Over fifty Coats of Arms have been granted to this illustrious family, one of the earliest being that granted to Thomas Knight of Hol, Northampton, in 1546.  The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Godefridus Niht, which was dated 1166, in the "Norfolk Pipe Rolls", during the reign of King Henry II, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.

SALTER
 

Recorded as Salt, Salter, Sulter, Saltman and Salterman, this is an English surname of two possible origins. The first is occupational and describes an extractor or seller of salt, the derivation being from the Olde English pre 7th century world "sealt" meaning salt. The surname from this source is first recorded towards the middle of the 13th century (see below), and Thomas le Selter appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, whilst John Saltman is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. The second distinct possibility is that the name derives from the pre 7th century Olde French words "saltere or sautere", meaning a psalter. This was a stringed instrument like a harp, which was very popular in the medieval period. In the Assize Court rolls of Northumberland, we have the recording of a musician called William le Salterer, meaning one who played the psalter, whilst another recording is that of William le Sautreour. He was minstrel to Queen Margaret, the wife of King Edward I (1272 - 1307) in the Calendar of Letter Books for the City of London, dated 1304. An interesting namebearer was one James Salter who flourished around the year 1723. He was a proprietor of "Don Saltero's Coffee-house", Chelsea, where he gathered a large collection of curiosities. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert le Salter. This was dated 1243, in the Assize Court Rolls of Somerset, during the reign of King Henry III of England, 1216 - 1272.

LILLEY
 

This ancient surname can be of either Olde English or medieval origins. It has three possible sources, the first a diminutive nickname from the personal name 'Elizabeth'. This name derives from the hebrew 'Elishera', which translates as 'god is my guardian' or similar, and was introduced by the Crusaders in the 12th century. As Elizabeth it became the most popular English female name, and a source of many pet or nicknames. The second origin is from the nickname 'Lilie', originally used as a baptismal name for a baby with a particularly fair complexion. Here the derivation is from the Old English pre 7th Century 'lilie', meaning the lily flower, itself from the Roman-Latin word 'lilium'. Lastly the surname can be locational, from either of two villages called 'Lilley' in Hertfordshire and Berkshire. The village names were recorded in Domesday Book (1086) and they translate as 'the clearing where flax was grown', from the Old English 'lin', meaning flax, and 'leah', - a clearing. The 'modern' surname spelling is found as Lilly, Lil(l)ey, Lil(l)ie and Lely, whilst early recordings include such examples as Thomas Lylie of Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1296, Hugh Lily in the Hundred Rolls of Lincoln for 1275, and William Lely of Norfolk in the same year. The christening of John Lilley was recorded at St. Botolph without Aldgate, London, on November 23rd 1578, whilst Henry Lilly, who died in 1638, was the Rouge Dragon pursuivant of the College of Heralds in the time of King Charles I (1625 - 1649). The coat of arms has the blazon of a red field, with three white lilies slipped. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alan Lilie, which was dated 1247, a witness at the 'Bedfordshire Assizes', during the reign of King Henry III, known as 'The Frenchman', 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.