This interesting name is locational and is a late transposition of the Olde Bedfordshire village of Yelden also known as Yielding or Yeilding. For some reason the name spelling has always proved difficult as it is recorded in The Domesday Book as "Giveldene", and since then has proved corruptable with each new recording. The name is pre 6th Century Olde English and originally meant "the valley (denu) of the Ivel Tribe". Name recordings are quite rare in each of the spellings, the earliest record being as below. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of James Yeldinge. which was dated 1615, The Oxford University Register. during the reign of King James I of England and VI of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. 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.