This is a locational name deriving from any one of several villages; High Hoyland, Nether Hoyland, Upper Hoyland and Hoyland Swaine, all situated in West Yorkshire. The name originates from the Olde English pre 10th Century 'hoh-land' meaning land 'on or by a spur of hill'. On June 6th, 1580 Richard Hoyland married one Agnes Smith in Sheffield, Yorkshire and in Rotherham, Yorkshire Ann Hoyland and John Robinson were married on January 30th 1585. The infant Anna Hoyland was christened on February 8th 1596 at St. Peter's Sheffield. It is interesting to note that the poet Francis Hoyland (flourished 1763) printed his poems and odes at Strawberry Hill, 1769. Another well known Hoyland, John (1750 - 1831), published a 'History of the World' in 1812. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Suanus de Hoiland, which was dated 1129, Yorkshire Charter Rolls, during the reign of King Henry I, Lion of Justice, 1100 - 1135. 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.