Recorded in many varied spellings including, Engledew, Engeldow, Ingeldew, Ingledow, Yngoldewe and others, this is an
Olde English personal name. It is believed to be a rare survivor of those ancient times before the
Norman Conquest of 1066, and after that the introduction of what became known as Christian names in the 12th century onwards. These were generally of
Greek or
Hebrew origin, and were brought back from the
Holy Land by returning Crusaders and pilgrims. This name is believed to derive from the pre 6th century
Scandinavian-
Viking personal name Ingialdr although it was later
Latinised to Angel-dei to try to get away from a possible pagan origin. It translates as "Ing's tribute", with Ing being an early god of fertility. Examples of the surname recording taken from surviving
charters and registers include John Angel- Dei, in the
Hundred Rolls of landowners of Lincolnshire in 1275, whilst nearly three centuries later on August 11th 1549 William Yngoldewe and Alys Bate were married at the church of St. Margarets Westminster. John Ingledewe and Elinor Stanney were married by civil licence in London in 1588, and on October 16th 1698, the
christening of Mary, the daughter of John Engledew, took place at St. Martin-in- the-Fields, Westminster, and Mary Engledow was christened in St. Luke's, Finsbury on May 25th 1766. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Angel-Dei, which was dated 1273, in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, during the reign of King Edward 1st, 1272 - 1307. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing
variants of the original spelling.