An English surname, Hyde comes from the Old English terms ‘higid’, ’higan’ ’hiwan’ which meant the holder of the hide or household. A spelling variation for Hyde is Hide. In England most of the country have high populations of Hyde residents. The majority lived in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Essex, Surrey, Hampshire and the city of London. Primarily in the southern region of Scotland is where most with the Hyde surname have lived for years. The most populated Hyde areas are Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Angus and Renfrewshire. Within the United States the original Hyde families settled in New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Famous: Helen Hyde (accomplished engraver and etcher in the US), James Franklin Hyde (inventor of silicone products), Jonathan Hyde (actor from Australia), Miriam Hyde (poet, musician and composer from Australia), Maria Jane Hyde (English actress and singer), Frank Hyde (rugby player and coach in Australia), Glen and Bessie Hyde (disappeared while riding the rapids of the Grand Canyon in 1928), James Hyde (television actor), Harry Hyde (champion crew chief for NASCAR stock racing), Douglas Hyde (President of Ireland).