This surname, with cognates Ewens, Ewin(g)s, Hewins, Youings, McEwen etc., is a patronymic form of the male personal name Ewen, itself and Anglicized form of the Gaelic Eoghan from the Old Celtic "Oue(i)n", well-born, but believed to derive ultimately from the Greek "Eugenious", "born-lucky" or "well-born". One, Ewen or Ewein Britto was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book for Herefordshire, and a Ywein Ladde in the 1177 "Pipe Rolls of Norfolk". The forms Ewain and Eugene appear in Scone and Moray, Scotland, in 1164 and 1178, respectively Early recordings of the surname include Dorenaldus Ewain, (Scotland, 1165); Walter Ywain (Warwickshire, 1202); and Robert Ywein, (Berkshire circa 1248). The patronymic form first appears in the mid 14th Century, (see below), the final "s" on the name being a reduced form of "son of". On April 22nd 1539, John Hewens and Margaret Burthwolde were married in St. Mary Magdalene Milk Street, London, and on January 7th 1797, James Youens and Jane Gooding were married in Saint Pancras Old Church, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Lucia Iwynes, which was dated 1359, Records of Cornwall, during the reign of King Edward 111, "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. 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.

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