Recorded in several forms as shown below, this surname is of English origins. It is however derived from the Norman-French given name Hamblin, a double diminutive of Hammone, itself coming from the early pre 5th century Germanic name Haimo. This is often a an element of various compound names with the first element "haim" meaning home. The surname was originally to be found in the English West Country, and is first recorded in the early 13th century, as shown below. Further early recordings include Thomas Hamelin in the documents known as the "Liver Memorandorum Ecclesie de Bernewelle, Cambridgeshire", in the year 1230, and that of and Walter Hamelin in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1243. The modern spellings include Hamlin, Hamlen, Hamblyn, Hamlen, Hambling, Hemlin, Hemblin, Hembling, and others whilst examples of recordings from surviving earlu church registers in the city of London include William and Mary Hambling, christening witnesses on January 2nd 1675 at St. Dunstan's, Stepney; on January 1st 1741, and Robert Hembling at St Lukes churcgh, Charlton, on February 29th 1867.The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Hamlyn, which was dated 1219, Larkbear, Devon, during the reign of King Henry 111, "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.