This interesting surname of English origin, is a dialectal variant of the locational name from places called Whiston. Examples in Lancashire and West Yorkshire are named from the Old English pre 7th Century "hwit" meaning "white" plus "stan" "stone", while one in Staffordshire is from the genitive case of the Old English byname Hwit "white" plus "tun" "settlement", "enclosure". Another place of the same name in Northamptonshire was probably named as the settlement associated with Hwicce, an Old English personal name from the tribal name Hwicce. Wiston in Sussex in named from the Old English Wigstan plus "tun". There is also a place called Wiston in Old Barony in Lanarkshire. The surname dates back to the late 13th Century, (see below). Variations in the idiom of the spelling include Wlefstan, Wiskyn, Whisken, Whiskon, Wisking etc.. Sisley Wiskyn was christened on June 22nd 1576, at St. Botolph, London. On August 25th 1640, Sarah Whiskin married Launcelott Rowe, at St. Dunstan, Stepney. Thomas and Sarah Whiskin were christened on February 11th 1658 at St. Giles, Cripplegate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Arnald de Wiston, which was dated 1273, "The Hundred Rolls of Nottinghamshire", during the reign of King Edward 1st, "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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