Recorded as Hanstock, Henstock, Hempstock, Hinstock, Instock, and possibly others, this an English surname. It is locational from the village of Hinstock in the county of Shropshire. The place itself is first recorded as 'Stoche' in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 and by 1242 had become Hinestok. This indicated that a monastery had been established nearby as the meaning was then "The holy place of the monks". The derivation is from the Olde English pre 7th century word "higna" meaning members of a religious household, with "stoc", a place, specifically in this case a holy place. Locational surnames are usually "from" names. That is to say names given to people as east identification after they had left their original homes to move somewhere else. Early examples of the surname recordings taken from surviving church registers include Jane Hinstock, at Holy Trinitity in the Minories, city of London, on June 13th 1624, Peter Instock at St Katherines by the Tower (of London) on Christmas Day, 1627, Elizabeth Hempstocke at St Olaves church, Southwark, city of London, on June 18th 1643, Elizabeth Hemstock married to John Russell at St. John's Thanet, in Kent, on the 6th February 1664, and Anne Hanstock at St Lukes Finsbury, on October 17th 1784. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Eliza Hempstocke, christened. which was dated 1643 at St. Olave's Church, Southwark, London. during the reign of King Charles 1, known as 'The Martyr' 1625-1649. 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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