This is a locational name which despite its "modern" appearance is believed to derive from the Domesday Book (1086) "Eglestun". The origination is believed to be from the old English "Ecg", which means the crest of a hill (the modern "Eccles") plus "Tun" - a farm. The changes to the present spelling have been long and complex, and owe a considerable amount to local dialects. The surname first appears as shown below. The development or "link" spellings include Nycholas Egellstone in 1548 (London), Roger Egglestone in 1564 (also London). The name change appears to occur from the following recording when Sara Iggulden, apparently the daughter of one Robert Eggleton was christened at St. Dunstans, Stepney on August 31st 1759, whilst on October 23rd 1806 Robert Sherloch married Mary Iggulden at the church of St. Mary the Virgin, Dover, Kent. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Eccleston, which was dated 1293, in the "Pipe Rolls of County Lancashire", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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.