This interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a topographical name given in the first instance to a "dweller by the valley-estate", derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century elements, "denu", a dene, valley, and "land", estate, landed property, found as a second element in many English placenames. Topographical surnames were among the earliest created, since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names in the small communities of the Middle Ages. The surname, also found as "Delland", is first recorded in the late 13th Century (see below). One Roger Denlond is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Rose Dilland married William Kite on May 6th 1688, at St. James, Dukes Place, London. Grace and Andrew, children of Andrew and Elizabeth Dilland were christened at Dolton in Devonshire on October 4th 1770 and January 29th 1774, respectively. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Philip Deneland, which was dated 1275, in the Hundred Rolls of Devonshire, during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272-1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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