Eul

This unusual and interesting name is either one of the variant forms of the English and Scottish 'nickname' surname 'Yule', or, in some cases, a variant of the locational surname 'Ewell'. In the first case the surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and derives from the Old English pre 7th Century 'geol', influenced by the Old Norse 'jol', and evolving into 'yule' in Middle English; this was originally the name of a pagan midwinter festival, later appropriated by the Christian Church to celebrate the birth of Christ. The name would have been given as a byname or nickname to someone born on Christmas Day or who had some other connection with the time of year. The surname from this source is also commonly found as Yule, Youle, Yuel and Yeuell. The second possible source of the modern surname 'Eul(e)' is from the places called 'Ewell' in Kent and Surrey so called from the Old English 'aewiell', spring, or source of a river. One Elizabeth Euls was christened in London in 1692, and Mary Eule was married to John Stafford in Wressell, Yorkshire, in November 1762. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Yol, which was dated 1199, The Lincolnshire Pipe Rolls, during the reign of King Richard 1, 'The Lionheart', 1189 - 1199. 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.