This interesting and unusual name is a variant of Styles, which is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has two possible sources, both of which are topographical. The first is derived from the Old English pre 7th Century 'stigol' a steep ascent, from 'stigan', to climb. The second source is from the Old English 'stigel', a stile; in both cases the name was given to a person who lived near these places. Topographical surnames were among the earliest created, since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names. The modern surname can be found as Styles, Style, Stile(s), Stickel and Stegel(l), and some of the genitive forms of the name are Steggals, Stiggles, Stickel(l)s and Stickles. The genitive forms described somebody 'of' an area. One Henry Stiles set sail from London on the 'Christian' in March 1634, bound for New England. Among the sample recordings in London are the marriages of Henry Steggals and Susan Grinling on December 22nd 1833 at St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, and John Steggals and Susan Button on August 2nd 1840 at Spitalfields, Christchurch, Stepney. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Reginald atte Stighel, which was dated 1227, in the Assize Rolls, Bedfordshire, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as 'The Frenchman', 1216-1272. 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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