William Shakespeare's grandfather - Richard Shakespeare - is recorded in written records as spelling his surname at least "five" different ways! As most people were either illiterate or semi-literate - it is probably far more accurate to state that five different scribes (working in various official capacities) spelt Richard's name in five different ways. This was common - as spelling was not yet standardised in the UK and scholars were expected to write with flare - spelling names, activities and concepts in vastly different (and entertaining) ways! William Shakespeare demonstrates this convention - sometimes spelling the same word (appearing on the same page) as much as three different ways! A fully literate scribe was expected - in the old days - not only to "read" a text but also "decipher" what was being said and conveyed by the author! A lack of standard language usage made this process a highly skilled event - arguably far more difficult than reading modern English! The type of officials we are discussing included "Church" and "Civic" representatives. Invariably, these persons wrote according to how words "sounded" - rather than by any associated convention. This was usually the case as their illiterate clients had no idea (or preference) as to how their surnames were spelt. Indeed, this difference in spelling the Bard's surname is one of the planks in the "Oxfordian" verses the "Stratfordian" debate - but is it a red herring? Literate individuals could (and did) often insist on a certain way of spelling their surname if they were given the choice. It is equally true that if such individuals wished to disappear - the waters might be muddied by placing the odd letter in a different place when signing their names! Of course, it could also be the case that some people like to spell their names differently at various times - seeing this as an essential aspect of their individual freedom and identity. Who could blame them? Today, of course, with the modern standardisation of the English language, there has arisen an almost Confucian obsession with spelling surnames in a specific manner (the Chinese people venerate their ancient surnames). Surnames, like DNA, have become an important part of an individual's identity. In the 1500s (primarily through Tax Returns) all the people of my family living in Duddington and King's Cliff spell their surname "Wyles" without exception. During the early to middle 1600s - two individuals (spouses) - have their name spelt as "Wiles" on their gravestones. During the middle to late 1600s - two individuals (spouses) - possess a grave-marker which spells their names as "Wyles". From there on in - around 95% of the Wyles family occupants of the graveyard of St Mary's Church (Duddington) spell their surname "Wyles". One couple in the 1800s use "Wiles" - with one or two on official records having their surname spelt "Whyles" - when their gravestones clearly state "Wyles". Anthony Holden, William Shakespeare - His Life and Work, ABACUS, (1999), Pages 52-54
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Believe or not, American in Utah (possibly Mormons) spend their time accessing British genealogical records - and presenting this data for sale in the public domain. Of course, as we - the British people - own this data, we are entitled to access it for free if we are prepared to visit Records Offices and Libraries and carry-out the research ourselves. As these places like to 'charge' us by placing a pay-wall between ourselves and our historical data - it is not always easy to access the information that defines our very being. Still, once one or two of us gains access to this data - we can (as a matter of duty) - place it in the public domain for free consumption. We may have used some of this data already in our family research - but there is much more general information to be gleamed! This may well be useful to "Wyles" people living in other areas! These four-county Parish Records include 'Births', 'Christenings', 'Deaths', 'Marriages' and 'Court Cases', etc. My partner - Gee - accessed this CD disc and what is reproduced here are the screenshots she carefully made:
Dear E
Thank you for your interesting email: Wyles Paternal DNA (Duddington) UK The above article provides the Paternal DNA results of our 'Wyles' name clan as associated with the Lincolnshire village of 'Duddington'. Both Scottish (Pictish) and Russian historians are of the opinion that 'Wyles' is the plural of 'Wyle' - and that 'Wyle' is an Anglicisation of the Viking (Cyrillic) title of 'Уайл' (Uayl) - meaning 'a dominant warrior whose fighting skills unite the people'. Sometimes, 'Uayl' is written today as 'Jarl' - with the 'J' retaining the 'U' sound. The Anglo-Saxons took this non-Germanic title and renamed it 'Earl' - using it as a noble status linked to 'birth' and not to 'ability' (within Viking culture any would could become a 'Uayl' providing they could 'fight' and quell any enemy). Today, in modern Russia the surname 'Wyles' is written as 'Уайлс' (Uayls) - and this is how I am referred to in all written communication, etc. The Vikings, as you know, settle vast parts of the UK and Eire, and so their DNA is everywhere, being particularly linked with the Celtic areas. However, as there are so many sounding similar names, such as 'Wills', 'Wells' and 'Willis', etc, all possessing different origins and distinct (unrelated) lineages, correct association can be difficult. I believe the Oxford definition of 'Wyles' (Wiles) - stating it is linked to eel traps and trickery - relates only to one lineage variant of an entire host of similar sounding but very different names! Of course, I know nothing about the 'van Wyk' surname as such, but 'Wyk' is written as 'Вик' in Cyrillic and pronounced 'Vik'. Within the Russian language this word is a noun meaning to 'cry', 'shout', and 'call-out', etc. I presume 'van' is Dutch for 'of' or 'from' and 'Wyk' refers to a place in the Netherlands. I have seen some people in the UK referred to as 'de Wyle' or 'de Wyles' on occasion - usually in the 12th and 13th centuries - with the 'de' (Norman French for 'of') eventually being dropped. There are theories that assume there were a number of disconnected places all over the UK - all carrying similar sounding names that possessed no direct historical association with one another. Perhaps a place with a water 'Well' might figure greatly in the old days (as we all need to drink) and at least in that sense the name 'Well' or 'Wells' might be laterally associated in a conceptual sense, whilst not sharing a DNA lineage. I personally believe that 'Wyles' is distinct from 'Wiles' - even though confusion is sometimes caused due to both lineages borrowing one another's spelling from time to time - usually by mistake. Therefore, we can be 'related' but by the 'error' of poor spelling! In the days before full literacy and the stabilisation of language - scribes would often spell exactly same word on a single page in many different ways! All Best Wishes Adrian PS: A Scottish historian stated that 'Wyles' is pronouced 'Wy-les' in in Scotland - and is the proper or correct surname associated with who is today known as 'William Wallace' - with 'Wallace' being a modern re-invention of his clan name. If this is correct - then this probably reinforces the Viking hypothesis! Dear Adrian I have been researching my ancestors, the WILES family of Ruskington for many years. They were yeoman farmers in the village. Thomas Wiles who married Maria Claricoates are my 3 x Great Grandparents. Maria Wiles, sister of Thomas, married Walter Baldock who was in mamy ways "all things Ruskington." He was landlord of the Shoulder of Mutton Public House in the village. Always good to be in contact with fellow researchers. Robert Turner of Newark, Notts. Dear Richard
Thank you for your very interesting email. Although my research has centred upon Duddington, I am always interested to learn more about other lineages of the 'Wiles' - 'Wyles' surname. As a matter of interest, what is the earliest known example of 'Wiles' in the Ruskington area? Prof. Peter McClure has provided documentary evidence to me (the 'lay subsidy rolls') that a man named 'Wyles' existed in Oundle (situated around 13 miles South of Duddington) as early as 1301. For Duddington at the moment. (this could change if older documents are discovered), the earliest documentary evidence is a tax return for a number of men named 'Wyles' dated as '1523'. I suspect this is a father and a number of sons who have perhaps just entered the area under Henry VIII, although this is a contentious issue that needs more research (obviously, the 1523 tax return is for the Crown of Henry VIII). The next document is a 1588 tax return for a number of 'Wyles' men living in Duddington to be paid to Elizabeth I. The first observable burials in St Mary's Church (Duddington) is of 'Robert Wiles' (1619) and his wife 'Agnus Wiles' (1646). The earlier Oundle and tax returns version of the surname is 'Wyles' with the above graves being 'Wiles'. There is only one other burial spelt 'Wiles' in the graveyard but even this is spelt 'Wyles' in other documents. I would like to see more research into the 'Wiles-Wyles' dichotomy as I think with regards to other (unrelated) geographical areas the use of the name might well be unrelated and a product of a different (ancient) Celtic or Anglo-Saxon origins and linguistic evolutions. Of course, spelling was not 'standardised' in the past as it is today, and I have even seen the name spelt 'Whyles' in Church records - which gives a clue to its pronunciation. Again, yet another area of contention as Scottish researchers have suggested to me that the name should be pronounced 'Wy-les' as in 'Wallace' with this latter name being a modern invention, etc. This narrative feeds into the Viking origination theory (that 'Wyles' = 'Jarls') c, 9th century CE. All these theories date to before the Norman Conquest - but I have no direct evidence that 'Wyles' existed prior to this time (Although I am always seeking the possibility of such evidence). On the other hand, names such as Wills, Wylls, Wiles, Wyles, Willes, Wylles and Willes, Wylles etc, could all be derivatives of 'William' or 'Wilhelm', etc, and possibly be inspired by 'William the Conqueror'. Research as to the historicity of the surname is ongoing. All Best Wishes Adrian Wyles Great Casterton is around 7.8 miles Northeast of Duddington and is situated in the County of Rutland! - whilst 'Little Casterton' is around 7.7. miles in the same direction! Its name is Latin from 'Casterton Magna' (with 'Little Casterton' being 'Casterton Parva'). Therefore, Roman settlement in the area is well-known, but what is not so well-known is the extent of 'slavery' used by the Romans themselves. Although most, if not all manual labour was performed by 'captives' deemed 'slaves', the historical record remains incredibly scant as to proving their presence. The find in Great Casterton finally gives physical evidence of individuaals who lived and died in a state of 'slavery' within the Roman empire! Around 2010, we visited Great Casterton (and Little Casterton) in search of any evidence in the local graveyards of the 'Wyles' family - but could not find any at the time. I always 'link' the original articles through the above photograph - just 'click' to access!
Rutland is just next-door to Duddington (in fact, I believe that for a time Duddington was once located in Rutland) and it is a place we have traversed in our search for genealogical evidence regardin the 'Wyles' surname! I remember a very old Church the Bible of which described King James as being the 'King of France'! I also remember seeing the surname 'Chappel' used in the area - a surname used by one of my Wyles ancestors as his 'first-name'!
Dear Sir
My family - surnamed 'Wyles' - has lived in Duddington village for over 500 years and probably longer. Although we no longer live there - in 2009 I discovered this connection and have been engaged in a 12-year study of the Church in Duddington - St Mary's - and its graveyard as it contains many of my ancestors. Although I live in Sutton - South London - around twice a year we drive to Duddington and spend the day gathering historical and genealogical data. St Mary's Church and Graveyard St Mary's Church and I have been told, however, that the parish records for pre-1700s Duddington were destroyed by a flood and this lack of records has hindered my research. I have been further informed that there may be duplicate records made for the Bishop that cover births, deaths, marriages and baptisms for the 15th and 16th centuries (and perhaps earlier). If St Mary's still retains its parish chest - I would be very interested to learn if any of its contents refer to my Wyles ancestors. Of course, I have no way of knowing if this information is correct and would be very grateful if your could look into this matter on my behalf. Thank you for your time in this matter. Yours sincerely Adrian Wyles Eydon is a village situated in Northamptonshire located around 52 miles South of Duddington. Within one of its graveyards there is a grave registered for a man named 'Thomas Bull' and dated to 1545. Thomas Bull is described as 'Niger'. Indeed, genuine historical records for the UK contain the details of a stead stream of Africans frequenting these Isles from at least the 15th century onwards - many hired as expert trumpeters employed by the royal court. Although I am not aware of any direct connection, the Wyles paternal DNA is well-known within Eastern Africa! I referenced the quote from the above book and found the story recorded in a local pamphlet written by historians living in Eydon.
'Geology, Generosity and Glimpses… Vol. 10 published May 2017. ISBN 978-0-9957-82402 £5.00 EHRG’s 10th booklet of Research Reports, published in 2017, is entitled ‘Geology, Generosity and Glimpses…’. Geology as it dominated the farming life of the village, as recorded 90 years ago; secondly also raises the question as to why the church font, the oldest relic in the village, is not made from the local sandstone? Generosity chronicles the village’s (mainly Victorian) benefactors, who gave the village a school and several other fine buildings. And Glimpses.. recording lost interiors of the pre-restoration church, and most intriguingly, a glimpse of Eydon’s Black history, about ‘Thomas Bull, niger’, buried in 1545. 70 pages, illustrated, with map and index.' Ruskington Cemetery and Churchyard Burials
Grave 69 WILES, John 1772 – 1827 54 Grave 69 WILES, Ann 1773 – 1854 Probably husband and wife but interesting that there are no more in the area spelt with a 'y' or an 'i'! |
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