Recorded in a wide range of spellings including: Ewan, Ewens, Ewins, Uwins, Hewen and Yewen, this surname is of Olde English (Wesh) and Gaelic (Scottish and Irish) pre 7th century origins. It derives from the personal name 'Eoghann' meaning youth, and as such was probably a descriptive name of eandearment given to a child at their baptism or christening. In medieval documents the name was often Latinized by the clerics to Eugenius, and consequently, its ultimate origin is frequently taken to be the Greek "Eugenios" meaning "noble" or, "well born". Both Ewen and Ewein are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 for Herefordshire in England, these spellings in later centuries were to become surnames in their own right. Early examples of the surname recordings include: Ewain, given as being the "Vicecomes de Scon", and who witnessed King Malcolm of Scotland's charter to Scone in the year 1164, whilst Ywein Ladde was recorded in the 1177 Pipe Rolls of the county of Norfolk, in England. Walter Ywain appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire", in the year 1202, whilst later on August 31st 1609 Elizabeth Ewen was christened at St. Michael's church, Wood Street, in the city of London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Douenaldus Ewain, of Dunpeldre, Scotland, which was dated circa 1165. This was in the register of the abbey of Saint Marie de Neubotle, during the reign of King William of Scotland, known as "The Lion", 1165 - 1214. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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