Le Brum

This interesting and unusual surname is a variant of Le Brum, which is of French origin, and is from a nickname for someone who had brown hair, a brown complexion, or who wore brown clothing, derived from the Old French "bun", brown, similar to the Old High German "brun". This is an example of that sizeable group of early European names that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. The nicknames were given in the first instance with reference to a variety of characteristics, such as physical attributes, or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, supposed resemblance to an animal or bird's appearance or disposition, habits of dress, and occupation. The modern surname can be found as Le Brum, Le Brom, Labrum, Labrom, Labram and Labrone. The marriage were recorded in London of Thomas Labrum and Diana Curtisse on December 17th 1650 at St. Nicholas, Cole Abbey, and of Richard Labrum and Frances Bonnett on February 24th 1787 at St. Giles, Cripplegate. The christening was recorded in France of Thomas, son of Thomas Labrum and Mary Bachelor, on November 21st 1844 at Avion, Pas-de-Calais. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Honor Le Brome (marriage to Peter Rout), which was dated August 13th 1581, at St. Botolph's, Bishopgate, 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.