Angus

This interesting surname has two possible origins. Firstly, it may be Scottish and Irish from the Gaelic personal name "Aonghus", composed of the elements "aon" one plus "ghus" choice; hence "unique choice". This name was borne by a famous but shadowy 8th Century Pictish King, said to be the son of Daghda, the chief god of the Irish, and Boann, who gave her name to the river Boyne. This King gave his name to the county (now part of Tayside) called Angus, and many Scots have recieved it as a given name in his honour. It may also be of Scottish locational origin from the county thus called. The surname is first recorded in the early half of the 13th Century, (see below). One, Eva de Anegos, of the county of Forfare rendered homage in 1296. Other recordings of the surname from Edinburgh church registers, Midlothian, include; Catherine Angus, who married William Hardie, on November 17th 1643; the marriage of Patrick Angus to Janet Archibald on November 24th 1645; and on August 12th 1652, John Angus married Margaret Turner. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Serlo de Anegus, which was dated 1229, witnessed a composition anent the tithes of Strathylif, during the reign of King Alexander 11 of Scotland, 1214 - 1249. 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.