This name is of Northern English locational origin either from Howgill near Gisburn in the West Riding of Yorkshire, or from Hugill in Westmoreland. The former was first recorded as Holegile circa 1240 and as Holgill in "Feudal Aids", dated 1285 and is so called from the Old Scandinavian "hol(h)" meaning sunken or low-lying, plus the Old Norse "gil", a ravine or narrow valley. The latter first appeared as Hogayl in the 1255 "Fine Court Rolls of Westmoreland", and as Hugayl in "Records of Kendale", dated 1274, The component elements in this placename are the Old Scandinavian "haugr", a hill or barrow, plus "gil", a narrow valley.
The surname was first recorded in the latter part of the 14th Century, (see below). In 1683 a Robert Hugill of Preston was entered in the Lancashire Wills at Richmond. In the "modern" idiom the name is spelt Hugill, Huggill, Hughill, Hewgill or Howgill. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Matilda de Hogyll, of Sedburgh, which was dated 1379 - "The Poll Tax Returns Records of Yorkshire", during the reign of King Richard 11, "Richard of Bordeaux", 1377 - 1399. 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.
Research into the possible origins of hugill leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname.
There is a considerable probability that hugill has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where hugill is most abundant are the following.
The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named hugill are found in every look back in the history of this lineage.
It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of hugill could be modified.
We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname hugill, even though not all have been documented to our present day. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname hugill who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
The bibliography collects information related to the surname hugill, which allows us to learn more about its meaning.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of hugill, and at the same time, of surnames in general.