Huggon

This interesting surname is of Norman origin, introduced into England after the Conquest of 1066, and derives from the male given name "Hugh", with the diminutive suffix "on". It is generally claimed that Hugh comes from the Old German "hugu", mind or thought, but the Old Celtic "Hu(w)", fire or inspiration, is similar enough in sound to be a strong claimant. Most probably the name when used in Celtic areas was from the Celtic form, but elsewhere was the Germanic "Hugo". In both cases the name goes back to the egendary past. Hu Gadarn, "the Mighty", was a Celtic hero who brought the Cymri to Britain, where he settled them and taught them agriculture. The French dynasty of the Capets, founded by Hugh (Hugo) Capet in 987, ruled until 1328. Hugh was also a popular "Crusader" name; Hugh de Payens, about 1120, founded the Order of the Knights Templars to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land. The Normans introduced the name into England, where it appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Hugo". Hugan filius (son of) Ricardi is listed in the Chartulary of the Monastery of Ramsey, Huntingdonshire(1250). The surname is first recorded in the early half of the 14th Century (see below), and can also be found as Huggons and Hugon. Hugh Hugune is noted in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire (1379). On September 16th 1576, Alice Huggon was christened at St. John's, Hackney, London, and William Huggon married Mary Davis on April 10th 1687 at St. Katherine by the Tower, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Hugons, which was dated 1327, in the "Subsidy Rolls of Somerset", during the reign of King Edward 11, known as "Edward of Caernafon", 1307 - 1327. 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.