This name, with variant spellings Ewen(s), Ewin(s), Hewen and Yewen, etc., derives from the Celtic personal name Eoghann meaning "youth". In medieval documents, the name was Latinized to Eugenius, and consequently, its ultimate origin is frequently taken to be the Greek "Eugenios" meaning "noble" or, "well born". Ewen and Ewein (without surname) are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 for Herefordshire. One, Ewain "Vicecomes de Scon" witnessed King Malcolm's charter to Scon in 1164 and a Ywein Ladde was recorded in the 1177 "Pipe Rolls of Norfolk". One, Walter Ywain appeared in "The Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire", dated 1202. On August 31st 1609 Elizabeth Ewen was christened in St. Michael's Wood Street. On February 12th, 1678 Christian Ewan and Mary Cans were married in London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Douenaldus Ewain, of Dunpeldre, which was dated circa 1165, in the "The Register of Saint Marie de Neubotle", during the reign of King William, known as "The Lion of Scotland", 1165 - 1214. 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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