Durden

This interesting name, with variant spellings Durden and Duerden is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is locational from a place in Lancashire (near Edenfield) called "Dearden". The name derives from the Old English pre 7th Century "deor" meaning a beast or deer, and "denu", a valley, thus, "the valley of the deer". Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name development since 1579 (see below) includes the following: Elizabeth Dearden (1630, Chester), Edward Duerden (1631, Chester) and Robert Durden (1646, Chester). The surname is well documented in the county of Lancashire. Among the sample recordings in London are the marriage of Richard Dearden and Margaret Hayes on May 13th 1663 at St. Giles, Cripplegate and the christening of George, son of John and Isabella Dearden, on May 21st 1793 at St. Paul's, Covent Garden, Westminster. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roberte Duerden (christening), which was dated January 11th 1579, in the Manchester Cathedral, Lancashire, 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.