Beardmore

This interesting surname is apparently a habitational name from some minor, unrecorded, or "lost" place, probably in Staffordshire where the name is very widespread, so called from the Olde English, pre 7th Century byname "Beard", meaning beard, plus the second Olde English element "mor", marsh or fen, hence "Beards marsh or fen". The name first appears relatively late in written records in the mid 16th Century (see below). William Beardmore married Helen Beardmore at Kingsley, Staffordshire, on October 3rd 1563, while here also Williamus Beardmore was christened on December 25th 1574. James, son of Humphrey and Alice Beardmore, was christened at Swynnerton, Staffordshire, on May 20th 1582. Notable namebearers include one Nathaniel Beardmore (1816 - 1872), who was an engineer who worked on the draining and navigating the river Lee in 1850, and also wrote prominent writings on hydraulic engineering. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John and Ann Beardmore, which was dated February 7th 1558, christening witnesses at Swynnerton, Staffordshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.