c.1450 - The six original tales
The earliest written tales indicate that medieval people had a firm idea of what Robin Hood meant to them.

1377 - ‘The Vision of Piers Plowman’, by William Langland
This long poem contains the earliest reference to the existence of the tales of Robin Hood. It includes the line, 

‘I do not know my paternoster as the priest sings it.  
But I do know rhymes of Robin Hood and Randolf, earl of Chester.’

1323 - Robin Hood, a porter
In 1323 King Edward II passed through Nottingham on his tour around England. Amongst his servants was a man named Robin Hood, employed as a porter. Some early historians thought this might be the original Robin Hood, but now we know of earlier ‘Robins’.

1261 - William Robinhood, outlawed
From the mid-1200s the nickname Robin Hood was given to known outlaws. As an example, William, son of Robert the Smith, was outlawed in 1261. He reappeared in the records in 1262. But by this time the royal official had changed his name to William Robehod or “Robinhood”.

So now we know that the name is associated with the idea of an outlaw, but for this to happen there had to be an original ‘Robin Hood’. Who was he?

1225 – Robert Hod, fugitive
In 1225 a man fled from justice in Yorkshire. He was recorded as Robert Hod, fugitive. He reappears in 1227 called “Hobbehod”. Could he be our man - spending his days robbing travellers through Sherwood Forest between Nottingham and Yorkshire?