This very unusual name is Olde-English topographical and derives from "ac-helde" and translates as "one resident by the bank(helde) of Oak trees (ac)", or from the village of Akild in Northumberland. The village name is first recorded in 1169 as "Achelda", later in 1225 as "Akelde" and in 1242 at the Fees Court as "Akilde". The modern variant surname spellings include the following recordings Mary Aked, christened at Farnworth, near Manchester n 1747 and Hannah Akid who married James Houghton on June 17th 1824 at St Mary's, Manchester. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Margaret Akall, which was dated 1593, married John White at St. Katherines by the Tower, London, 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.