Recorded in the spellings of Yalden, Yaldren, Yeldron, Yelding, Yielding, Yalding, Yaldon, Yaldin and many others, this is an English dialectal locational surname. It almost certainly originates from the Kent region and specifically the village of Yalding. For many centuries "Kent-Sussex" provided in effect a separate language, and prominent in this dialect was a slang pronunciation of place names of which this is one. Taking the village name itself, Yalding is derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century "Ealdingas", and translates as the the place of the Ealda's people, a tribe who were widespread in the 9th century. "Yalding" is first recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as "Hallinges", this being an entry by a Norman-French cleric, with little knowledge of the area. In 1212 it is recorded more correctly as "Ealding". Early examples of the surname recordings include John Yeilding of Tenterden, Kent, on August 8th, 1655, and Jane Yaldon, who married Isaac Livermore on March 31st 1751, at Little Waltham, Essex. Thomas Yalden, was a witness at Ightham, Kent, on October 3rd 1752, whilst far afield the name developed an intrusive 'r', an example being Ann Yeldron or Yaldren, who was recorded at North Petherton, Somerset, on April 18th 1816. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Yaldene, which was dated February 18th 1655, a witness at St Gregory's church, London, during the reign of Oliver Cromwell, known as 'The Lord Protector', 1649 - 1658. 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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