Valois

This interesting surname of French origin is either a topographical name for someone who lived in a valley, or a locational name from any of the various places called Val(l)ois, or the regional name from the district in Northern France so called, which was once an independent duchy. In all cases the name derives from the old French "val" meaning "valley". The surname dates back to the late 13th Century, (see below). Variations in the idiom of the spelling include Vallis, Valis, Valois, Valleys, Valless, etc.. Joan Valois married Heugh Joanes on May 18th 1588 at St. Mary Magdalene, London, and Mary Vallis married Jerimiah Baxter on May 27th 1705 at St. James, Paddington. Whilst Hannah Vallass married John Gregory on December 12th 1768 at St. Leonards, Shoreditch, London and James Vallas married Mary Ramsey on October 17th 1814, at St. Leonards, Shoreditch, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Sibil de Valeyse, which was dated 1275, "the Hundred Rolls of Suffolk", 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.