Recorded in a number of spellings including Hoble, Hobell, Hobble, Hobwell, Hubball, Hubble, Hubbell, Hubbold, and trasnspositions Obal and Obell, this is an Early English or Anglo-Saxon surname. It is believed to derive from the now lost personal name Hugibald. From "hug", meaning heart, mind, or spirit, and "bald", bold or brave, it was probably introduced into England in about the 7th century, and also it is claimed by the Norman French, after the famous Conquest of England in 1066. Certainly it is one of the very first recognizeable surname, being first recorded in the 11th century (see below). Other early examples include Bernard Hubold in the Winton Rolls of Hampshire ion th eyear 1148, whilst Henry Habalt is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire in 1205. Later examples taken from surviving registers of the city of London include Mary Huble christened at St. Nicholas church, Cole Abbey, on January 28th 1570, Morgaine Hubble and Tomison Malestone who were married at St. Antholin's church, Bridge Row, on June 28th 1583, Anne Hobell, christened at St Martins in the Field, Westminster, on January 11th 1643, and Samuel Hubball christened at St. Andrew's, Holborn, on January 8th 1692. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugo Hubald. This was dated 1086 in the Domesday Book of Bedfordshire, during the reign of King William 1st, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes 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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