Hillens.com

Clive Hillen, and his brother Nigel, are Yorkshire Hillens. How many Nigel Hillens are too many?

They are descended from Friston Hillens (as is so often the case, officials in the dim and distant past seem to have spelled the name as 'Hillen' or 'Hilling' as the mood took them), which means that they are almost certainly related to our line. The challenge now is to find the "missing link".

Clive writes:

I got quite a shock when I saw that a Nigel Hillen was researching Friston, because my only brother is also called Nigel. My great great grandfather, William Hilling, was baptised at Friston on 31-07-1825.  So far I have found three siblings: Mary Ann, born C1827 at Friston Samuel, born C1832 at Friston Eliza, born C1839 at Friston William's son Henry Hillen was born at Aldburgh C1849. He married Harriett Scoging on 08-10-1873. She came from Coddenham and was born C1853.

Henry also had brothers and sisters who were born at Friston.

Henry and Harriett had children born at Ipswich one of which was my grandfather, who was born 11-08-1893.

As I said before, I have one brother called Nigel and no sisters. I would be interested to see if we have any common ancestors.

I am married to Jackie and have a daughter and son.  Aside from one short period, I have always lived in York.

The story goes that my grandfather was posted to York during the First World War and that, while walking through the city with a friend, he met my grandmother, who was living and working in York at the time.

During my family history research I have contacted a grandson of my grandfather's brother (unfortunatey not a Hillen) and a descendant of my great grandmother's brother (John Scoging, who I believe was on the same list as yours).