This interesting surname is one of those names of English locational origin, which originated as a means of identifying those, who left their place of origin to seek work or to settle elsewhere. This particular name derives from either "Wilden" in Bedfordshire, five miles north-east of Bedford itself, or a place of the same name in Worcestershire. The former place was recorded as "Wildene" in the Domesday Book of 1086, and translates as "willow-valley", from the Old English words "wilg" -willow, and "denu" -valley. The latter place in Worcestershire, recorded as "Wineladuna", "Winelduna" in 1163, in the place names of Worcestershire, means "Winela's hill, mountain", from the Old English personal name "Winela", and the Old English "dun", hill mountain. The London Church Registers record the marriage of Jene Hayberm to Elyn Wylden at St. Dionis, Blackchurch, on June 26th 1552; the marriage of one John Wyldon to Margaret Deane at St. Margarets, Westminster on June 23rd 1553; and the christening of Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Wildinge on October 26th 1600 at St. Andrew by the Wardrobe. George Wilden married Jane Perry at St. Giles Cripplegate, London on April 7th 1629. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Isabell Wyldon, who married John Rud, which was dated April 6th 1551, at St. Margaret's, Westminster, London, during the reign of King Edward V1, "The Boy King", 1547 - 1553. 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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