Everal

This unusual and interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and derives from the Old English pre 7th Century female personal name "Eoforhild". The name is composed of the elements "eofor", wild boar, and "hild", battle, in the manner of many Old English given names, both male and female, that are compounds of warlike and sometimes disparate elements. The male personal name and modern surname "Everard" derives from the Old English male given name "Eoforheard", the counterpart to the female "Eoforhild", and is composed of the elements "eofor", wild boar, and "hard, heard", brave, hardy, strong. The modern surname Everall, Everil(l) or Everal is found mainly in the West Midland counties. One William Everall married Marie Pullen in Hallow, Worcestershire, in October 1605, and Richard Everall was christened on August 7th 1625, in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Francis Everall (marriage to Marie Blome), which was dated 1576, in the "St. Gabriel Fenchurch, London", 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.