Hayto

This interesting locational name has many variant spelling forms. It derives from the Olde English 'heah' meaning 'high' and 'hoh' -a spur of a hill, and was probably the name of a now lost medieval settlement, or possibly several such places. The name spelling alternatives include Hayho, Hayhoe, Heyhow, Hayhow, Haytow, Haytoe and Hayto, the latter probably being the rarest of all recordings. The most interesting early reference is probably to the Hayto family of Nunnington, near York, Richard Hayto being christened on August 23rd 1601, and Elizabeth Hayto on May 23rd 1604, in both cases the witness being the father Gilbert Hayto. The mothers name is not known. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Clacy Haytow, which was dated December 3rd 1599, married Samuel Page at Deptford, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Good Queen Bess, 1558 - 1603. 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.