TILDEN (Wilmshurst)

Tildenne, Tylden, Tyldenne1) Locality: 'Tila's denu' (Tila's valley) (Old English)2) Locality: From Tilden in Headcorn, Great, Little Tilden in Marden, or Tilden in Benenden - all in Kent, EnglandThe name of Tilden, anciently Tylden, is derived from the residence of its first bearers at a place so named in England, probably an estate in the County of Kent, although the exact location is not certain. In ancient English and early American records the name is found in various forms of Tyldene, Tyldenne, Tildenne, Tillden, Tyldon, Tyldum, Tyllden, Tildun, Tildin, Tildan, Tilding, Tildon, Tylden, Tilden and others. Of these, the last is the spelling most frequently used in modern times.    Chieftly seated in the County of Kent and at a later date, in London, the families bearing this name belonged for the most part at least, to the landed and educated classes.    According to family historians, Sir Richard Tilden or de Tylden was Seneschal to Hugh de Lacy, Constable of Chester, during the reign of Henry II of Enlgand (ca 1153-1189). He was further said to have accompanied King Richard I (Richard Coeur de Lion) to Palestine and to have served with him in the Cursades in the year 1191. Sir Richard Tylden, probably a son of the last mentioned Sir Richard, is called "...of Sittenborne, in Kent". He married Gertrude, daughter of Sir William Vernon of Fordsham, in Cheshire. Of this union was borne a son, Sir Henry Tylden, who was probably identical with the Henry de Tildenne who was recorded in Kent about the year 1292. Sir Henry married Phillippa, daughter of Sir Richard Boteler, of Lancashire, and was the father by her of Sir William who married Constance, daughter of Rodolphus Gannett and has issue by her of another Sir William Tylden, who served under the Black Prince in the Battle of Poictiers in 1366.  (Source: The Tilden Roots)