This most interesting surname is of early medieval English origin, presently found also in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and has three possible origins. Firstly, it may have been a nickname for a courteous man, from the Middle English "hende", courteous and "man(n)", a man. Secondly, it may be an occupational name for someone who kept or minded hinds, from the Olde English, Middle English "hind", a female deer, and "man(n)", as above, also used as a nickname for a timid, gentle person. Finally, the initial element may be a variant of "hine", a Middle English word meaning servant, lad; hence the name may perhaps have been an occupational name for a servant. One William le Hyne is recorded in the Eynsham Cartulary (Oxford) in 1240. In Scotland the family of Hyndman of Springtide was originally of Lunderstown in Renfrewshire, which they possessed during the reign of James V (1513 - 1542). The surname is found in Bute in 1649, and John Hyndman appears there in 1662, while John Hynman is recorded in Kilcattane in 1662, and John Hyndman was a merchant in Largs in 1749. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Johis Hindman, which was dated May 20th 1604, marriage to Jane Reedsell, at Brompton by Northallerton, Yorkshire, during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. 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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