The earliest recordings of this locational name come from the Kent and South East which is not perhaps surprising as the name is Olde English for an incomer or probably an invader from Engaland (in north Germany) - an Angle, as in Anglo-Saxon. In other words the name is topographical and means 'the dweller at the Angles field' with 'field' or 'felda' having almost the opposite meaning of today - being a large open area, whereas later it meant an enclosed fenced area. The spellings have developed as Engelfeld, Engelfield (c. 1400), Inglefeild (1625) Inglefield (1732, London). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Engelfeild which was dated 1273 The Hundred Rolls of Kent during the reign of King Edward 1 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.