This interesting surname of English origin is a dialectal variant of the locational name Hegdon Hill in Herefordshire, driving from the old English pre 7th Century "haeg" meaning "hay", "enclosed piece of land", "meadow" plus "dun", "down", "hill". The surname dates back to the late 16th Century, (see below). Variations in the idiom of the spelling include Hegden, Hegdonne, Haggidon, etc.. Edward, son of Clemt Hegdon, was christened on March 3rd 1577 at Ashwater, Devon. Phillip, son of John Hegdonne, was christened on October 27th 1605 at St. Mary Somerset, London and William, son of Richard and Joanna Hegdon, was christened on January 19th 1682 at Bodenham, Herefordshire. Susanna Heggadon married William Harris on June 4th 1685 at Ashwater, Devon and John Heggadon married Elizabeth Mills on May 1st 1733 at Halwell by Holsworthy, Devon. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Hegdon, which was dated 1573, at Ashwater, Devon, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.