This interesting and rare surname may derive from two possible origins. Firstly it may derive from a lost village called "Iseldean", probably composed of the Medieval English personal name "Isel or Hisel", and "denn", meaning "woodland pasture", hence Isel's Woodland pasture". The name may also be a dialectal variant of the English and Scottish name "Easton", which is either of locational origin from one of the numerous places called "Easton", or a topographical name for a dweller at the Eastern homestead, both from the Old English pre seventh Century words "east", east and "-tun", meaning enclosure. Some of these place names may get its initial element from the Old English personal name "Aelfric", from "aelf", elf, and "ric", power. The personal name was recorded as Edstan and Estan in the Domesday Book of 1086 in Northumberland and Lincolnshire. John de Eston appeared in 1299 in the Calendar of Early Mayoris Court Rolls. One Elizabeth Easton married Thomas Sleeper at St. Mary Magdalene, Old Fish Street, London on September 2nd 1566, while at St. Giles Camberwell London Charles, son of Charles and Ann Isetton was christened on April 22nd 1812. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Martin de Iseldene, which was dated 1273, Hundred Rolls of London, during the reign of King Edward 1, "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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