This interesting surname is English, but of French origins. Introduced into the British Isles by the Normans invaders of 1066, the origination is a pre 5th century personal name composed of the elements "Ingel" extended form of "Ing", the name of a pagan god or folk hero, and "bald", brave or bold. Other elements present in the later surname "ang", meaning a spike, and in later names, the Christian word angel. The given name is recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 as Hengebaldus of Shropshire, and Ingelbald of Devonshire, whilst Emma Inchebald is recored in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379. In the modern idiom the surname can be found as Inchbald, Inchboard, Inchbold and Inchbould. Recordings of the surname from Yorkshire church registers include: the marriage of Roger Inchbold and Margret Hill on November 27th 1574, at Little Ouseburn; the marriage of Mary Inchbald and Robert Garton on October 25th 1632, at Howden; and the christening of Elline, daughter of Christofer Inchboard, at Staveley, on June 10th 1633. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Ingebald. This was dated 1379, in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Richard 11nd, 1377 - 1399. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.