Flack

This is a locational surname of great antiquity. It derives from the Olde English pre 7th century 'flagge' and as such describes someone who lived by a 'paved road', a rare occurrence at the time. This suggests that as the art of road making by the laying of 'flagges' was totally lost after the Romans left England in the year 410 a.d., that the original name holders did in fact live near the remains of a Roman road. The earliest recording of the surname comes from Kent, and this again would seem to be further proof of the origin, as this region was full of Roman remains. It has been suggested that the name could apply to one who cut 'flagges' and this is also possible, if unproven. Early church recordings of the surname include Margery Flack, who married Richard Dickinson at the church of St Martin Orgar, London on July 12th 1542, in the reign of the infamous Henry V111, and Mary Flacke (or Flache), who married John Norris at the church of St Katherines by the Tower (of London), on September 15th 1678. A Dorothy Flack is recorded in the 'History of the County of Norfolk' (England) for the year 1715, and the name is also recorded in the early registers of the cities of Boston and Philadelphia, USA. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert del Flac, which was dated 1273, in the Hundred Rolls of the County of Kent,, 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.