This interesting name, with variant spellings Iles, Illes, Eyles etc., derives from the Anglo-Norman French "isle", (Old French "isel", ultimately from the Latin "insula"), meaning an island, and was originally given as a geographical name to a dweller on an island. Early recordings of the name include Radulphus de Insula, "The Register of the monastery of Paisley", Scotland, circa 1170; William de Lile who witnessed a resignation by Roger, prior of Paisley, of certain lands circa 1222; Baldwin del Ille, (or de Insula), "The Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire", (1255); and John del Ile- "The Hundred Rolls of Suffolk", (1273). On October 12th 1675, Peter Isle and Elizabeth Charlsworth were married in St. Marylebone, St. Marylebone Road, London, and on September 13th 1696, William Isles married a Mary Cox in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard del Isle who rendered homage, which was dated 1296, "Records of Edinburghshire", during the reign of John Balliol of Scotland, 1292 - 1296. 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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