Younglove

This unusual and interesting surname, recorded in English Church Registers under the variant spellings Yownglove, Youngloue, Youngloffe, Yonglove, and Younglow, has two distinct possible sources, each with its own history and derivation. Firstly, Younglove may belong to that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. These nicknames were originally given with reference to a variety of personal characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, and mental and moral characteristics. The derivation, in this instance, is from the Middle English "yunge, yonge", a development of the Olde English pre 7th Century "geong", young, with the Olde English "lufu" (Middle English "lufe"), love, denoting a young and ardent lover. Other nicknames in this category include: Fullalove, Lovelady and Loveman. Alternatively, Younglove may be of locational origin from some minor, unrecorded, or now "lost" place believed to have been in the Essex/Hertfordshire area because of the high incidence of early recordings from these counties. The component elements of the placename are most likely the Middle English personal byname "Yunge, Yonge", Young, and "hlaw", low hill, burial mound. The latter element is now frequently found as "low", and recordings of the surname include the marriage of Ellen Younglow to Robert Burne at St. Alban's, Hertfordshire, on September 18th 1559, and the marriage of Margaret Younglove to Robart Clarke in Layston, Hertfordshire, on December 6th 1565. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alyce Yownglove, which was dated April 3rd 1553, marriage to John Evans, at St. Margaret's, Westminster, London, during the reign of King Edward V1, known as "The Boy King", 1547 - 1553. 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.