This interesting and unusual name is of French origin, and has two possible, related sources. The first of these is Norman, introduced into England after the Conquest of 1066, and is a topographical surname for someone who lived on an island, derived from the Olde French and Middle English word "isle", from the Latin "insula". The modern surname, found as Lisle, Lile(s), Lyle, de Lisle, De L'Isle and de Lyle, is the result of the French definite article "le" becoming fused with "isle". The surname may also be locational from the French form of "Lille", which also derives its name from the Olde French "isle". The name development has included Peter de Isla (1166, Yorkshire), Henry Lyle (1319, Cambridgeshire) and Ellenor Lills (1623, London). Marke Liles was christened on March 24th 1615, at St. Giles, Cripplegate. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hunfridus de Insula, which was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book (Wiltshire), during the reign of King William 1, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. 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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