Searson - Meno

This interesting name is a patroymic form of the surname Sayer, which has a number of known origins, the first of which is from the medieval personal name "Saher" or "Seir", derived from the Norman name "Sigiheri", introduced into England after the Conquest of 1066, and meaning "victory-army". A second origin is from the medieval occupational name for a wood cutter, derived from the Middle English (1200 - 1500) "saghier", and a third from the Middle English "say(en)" or "seycen", meaning to say, and a job-descriptive word for a professional reciter. A fourth origin is from the medieval occupation of assaying metals or tasting food, derived from the Old French "essay", trial or test, in Middle English "assayer". Recordings from London Church Registers include the christening of Daniel, son of Daniel and Mary Searson, on October 27th 1707, at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, and the marriage of George Searson and Mary Berry on June 5th 1775, at St. Giles' Cripplegate. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard le Saer, which was dated 1204, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.