This is an English locational surname, from one of the various villages called Hollington, found in the counties of Derbyshire, Hereford, Staffordshire, and Sussex. The name is believed to mean "the house (tun) amongst the holly trees", from the pre 7th century words "holgn-tun". This seems a logical explanation, although it is also possible that "Holling" may refer to a tribe. Locational surnames were usually given to people after they left their original village and moved elsewhere, and this would seem to be the case here as the first recording (see below) is found in Oxford, a considerable distance from any of the known villages. Hollington in Derbyshire is first recorded in the famous Domesday Book of the year 1086, and in the spelling of "Holintune", whilst the Sussex village is found in the same records but in the spelling of Holintuna. Spelling being at best problematical, and local dialects being very thick, lead to the many variant spellings of both place and later surnames. The earliest known recording of this name is that of Thomas de Holinton, in the Hundred Rolls of the city of Oxford in the year 1273. This was during the first year of the reign of King Edward 1st, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307.

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