Hull started out as an area of wasteland by the 'stream' of the River Hull, and was named Wyke, meaning... you've guessed it, 'stream'. There is a site with a good history of the early period of the city for a detailed history, a snippet of which is quoted here...

"The township of Hull came into existence sometime in the late 1100's- At first it was called Wyke upon Hull, and it was only after King Edward 1 took over the port in 1293 that it became Kingston (The King's town) Upon Hull. The word Wyke originated from the Scandinavian word "vik" meaning a creek. referring to the point where the River Hull entered the River Humber. Wyke was originally an area of wasteland within the area of the Hamlet of Myton, and when Myton received its first mention in 1086, when it was itself just a farm."

The history of Southcoates and the surrounding area in the east of the city is described at length in part of an informative site about the history of the Garden Village Area of Hull.

Well, Hull was rather different by the 1700's. The latter part of the C18th saw a period of tremendous growth for the city, most of it fuelled by marine-related industry, and it is at this period that the family[ies] begin to appear there. There are Grindalls and Grundells in Beverley from as early as records begin there (1550's), and a strong connection with Sutton, (the rather indistinct Sutton branch seems to be very closely connected) then on the edge of the city, for nearly all the branches, and many branches circle round about Hull for many years without moving into it, but the first Grindall we can place directly in the city, is John, son of Oliver, in 1742. This line stays in Hull from then on (this is the family of Oliver the Customs Officer, and his sons Thomas the Cabinet Maker and William the Chemist). Many people moved into the city in the early part of the 1800's - John of Skeffling's father died in the city in 1838 - and George and Sarah, originally of Beverley and thence Sutton moved to the city at some point in the early 1840's, although technically they were living in Sutton for the first few years, in the new build area on the East Bank of the River Hull, known as 'The Groves'.

More to follow, but for now if you'd like to see what it looks like, try the Virtual Cruise of the Humber up to Hull Bridge