Hazleton

This name, with variant spellings Hazelton, Haselton, Heselton and Hastlten, is of English locational origin from either of two places so called in Gloucestershire. Recorded initially as Hasedene in the Domesday book of 1086 for Gloucestershire and as Haseldene circa 1130, the early form of the name derives from the Old English pre 7th Century "hoesel", meaning "hazel", plus "dene", a valley, hence, "the valley of the hazels". The same place was however, recorded as Heseltona in Records of Winchcomb, Gloucestershire, circa 1162, the second element, in this instance, being the Old English "tun", a farm or settlement. On October 23rd 1575 Alyce Hasselton, an infant was christened in Painswick, Gloucestershire and on February 14th 1705 one, Daniel Hazleton was christened there. The christening of Christopher Hazleton took place on December 18th 1763 in St. Mary's Church Whitechapel, Stepney, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Haselton, (marriage to Joan Knowles), which was dated November 1st 1568, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.