Recorded in many spellings as shown, this is an Anglo-French surname, but one of French origins, of which it has two. Whatever its origin, it was first introduced into England at or after the famous Norman Conquest of 1066, and could be topographical for someone who lived on an island. If so it is derived from the pre 7th century French word "isle", from the ultimate Latin "insula". The modern surname, found as Lisle, Liles, Lyal, Lyle, de Lisle, De L'Isle and de Lyle, is the result of the French definite article "le" becoming fused with "isle". Secondly the name can be locational from the French city of Lille, which also derives its name from the word "isle". The early suname development included Peter de Isla of Yorkshire in 1166, Henry Lyle of Cambridgeshire in 1319, and Ellenor Lills of London in 1623. 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. This was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book of Wiltshire, during the reign of King William 1st, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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