This interesting surname is of Anglo Saxon, Scottish and Irish origin. Firstly, it may originate from the Middle English personal names Irwyn, Erwyn and Everwyn, from the Old English pre 7th Century given name "Eofor wine", composed of the elements "eofor" meaning wild boar plus "wine" friend. "Eueruinus" (without surname) appears in the 1086 Domesday Book of Norfolk. The second source is Scottish and is locational from Irvine in Strathclyde, or from Irving in Dumfriesshire. The placenames are derived from a Celtic river name, with the component elements being the Welsh "ir" or "yr" meaning fresh or green plus "afon" water. The third source is Irish and is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "O'hEireamhoin", meaning "descendant of Eireamhan", a personal name of uncertain origin. One, Eustace Everwyn, appears in the 1310, Calendar of Letter Books, Devonshire. In the modern idiom the surname has many variant spellings including Everwin, Irwin(e), Irwing, Urwin, Irvin(e), Ervin(e). On April 22nd 1609, James, son of William Erwin, was christened at St. Margaret's, Westminster, and John Erwin married Elizabeth Thomas, on January 29th 1626, at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Hirewyn, (witness), which was dated 1226, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, during the reign of King Alexander 11 of Scotland, 1214 - 1249. 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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