The surname Hiles is not rare, but of low frequency as described by the GOONS (Guild of One Name Studies). I have researched the origin of the name and have read what other organisations have indicated its origin to be, but I am now back to 1584 and the name has not changed from the original spelling. There are however some branches of the family which have had some spelling variations such as Hyles, Iles, Eyles and Highells, but these have been on certain documents and have returned back to the original spelling with following generations. Some believe it derives from 'hill' or 'some one who has come down from the hills' and if you have every used the IGI you will find that Hiles is in with the Hill, Hills, Iles and other spelling variations due to the phonetics of the name Hiles. Another organisation has described it as a variation of Hale, but I have found no evidance to support this belief.

The majority of the bearers of the name today seem to originate from one of three family trees. The Somerset family tree goes back to the late sixteenth century (1584 Hugh Hiles is record as one of the twelve men on the manioral court of Carhampton). The SALOP family tree is from Shropshire starting about the mid eighteenth century with 5 brothers and 3 sisters, this has been researched and published by Derek Davies - "HILES OF SALOP". The Lincolnshire family tree has been researched by Alan Hiles of Canada and John Hiles of Norfolk, and like the other family trees now has many others researching these family trees to make them much larger covering all corners of the earth.

The name Hiles could be described as a trade name. Major R.R.(Bob) Hiles has found that at the Rural Museum at Glastonbury in Somerset a display depicting the peat diggers of Somerset with their tools and the techniques they used to harvest the peat. A 'hiles' is a pile of 13 peat bricks which are stacked in a way to allow air to go through to dry the bricks and for rain to run off. Not a thing of earth shattering consequence, but always a good line at a party.

There are various organisations which will sell you 'your' Coat of Arms and although interesting, none of those I have seen are for the surname Hiles. However, Herbert Hiles, one of three brothers who came from Blagdon in Somerset, became Lord Mayor of Cardiff in 1936 and was knighted by George VI. He was awarded a coat of arms of black ermine on white, on a fess stable a tower with two towers proper of natural colours on a black background. The crest is a tower as in the arms.

There is a Hiles Farm in Withycombe in Somerset which dates back to Tudor times. A survey of 1821 maps out fields and orchard associated with the farm which coorespond to land leases recorded in 1655, during the Commonwealth,for Withycombe.

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