This interesting and unusual surname is a variant of shingler, which is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is from an occupational name for someone who laid wooden tiles (shingles) on roofs. The name is derived from the Middle English (1200 - 1500) "schingle", shingle, from the Old English pre 7th Century "scingel", which is from the Latin "scindula, scandula". The name development since 1327 (see below) includes the following: Roger le Shinglere (1335, Essex) and William Shyngelere (1381, Staffordshire). The modern surname can be found as Shingler and Shingles. Among the sample recordings in London are the christenings of John Shingles on February 8th 1573 at St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, and of Richard, son of John Shingles, on March 21st 1574 at St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate. The christening was recorded of John James, son of John James and Mary Ann Shingles on April 15th 1817 at St. Mary's, Rotherhithe, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John S(c)hingel, which was dated 1327, The Subsidy Rolls for Sussex, during the reign of King Edward 11, "Edward of Caernafon", 1307 - 1327. 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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