Bavage

Recorded in a number of spellings including Bavage, Bavidge, Bavridge, and Beveridge, this is an English surname. Quite rare in all spellings, it is apparently occupational, and is said to originate from the Middle English word "beverage" and hence was used to describe either a keeper of a tavern or more likely a brewer, one who manufactured liquor for public consumption. It is also possible that the word had a secondary meaning in "one who gives a beverage". This was taken to mean a form of monetary bond, but with the liquor replacing the usual coinage. The medieval author Langland writing in the year 1362, states that "Bargeyns and bevarges bigonne to aryse" implying that it was a new custom or occupation in that period. The early surname development includes such examples as William Baurerich of Somerset in thet year 1280, Robert Beurich of Huntingdon in 1315 whilst in 1580 Ann Beveridge married Robert Fuller at St. Stephens, London, on 11th September. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Beverage. This was dated 1212, in the King Rolls of the county of Berkshire, during the reign of King John of England, 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.