Casburn

This unusual name, with the variants Casborne, Casburn, Casbon and Caseborne, is of English locational origin from Casebourne Wood in Hythe, Kent. The name derives form the Olde English "Caerse" meaning "cress" - an element usually found with endings indicating the growth of the plant in water. In this case, the second element is the Olde English "burna", a stream. The surname from this source is first recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century. A Coat of Arms was granted to the Casebourne family of Kent. Sable (black) two chevrons between three martlets or (gold). The Martlet indicates one who subsists on wings of Virture and Merit, having little land to rest on. One, Elizabeth Casebourne, daughter of John and Lydia Casebourne was christened on June 18th 1727 in Wadsworth, London. The name is also spelt Casborne. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John de (of) Caseburn. which was dated 1275, in the "Hundred Rolls of Kent". during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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.