Lampert

This interesting surname, with variant spellings Lampart, Lampard, Lamperd, Lambart, Lambard, Lammert, Limbert etc., has two distinct possible origins. Firstly, it may derive from the old French personal name Lambert, itself coming from an old Germanic male given name composed of the elements "land", territory, plus "berht", bright or famous. One, Gozelinus filius (son of) Lamberti was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 for Lincolnshire. This name increased in popularity in the Middle Ages with the immigration of weavers from Flanders where Lambert, Bishop of Maastriche circa 700, was highly venerated. Early recordings of the surname from this source include Peter Lambert the 1220 Curia Regis Rolls of Norfolk, and Thomas Lamparde, the Wills Records held at Rochester, Kent, dated 1544. The name may also be occupational in origin from the old English pre 7th Century "lamb" and "hierde", lamb-herd. One, Robert le Lambhurde was noted in the 1288 Pipe Rolls of Hampshire. On May 29th 1687 Anne Lampert and John Holmes were married in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London. The substitution of "p" for "b" in "Lampert" results from dialectal influences. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Lambert, which was dated 1148, in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire, during the reign of King Stephen, known as "Count of Blois", 1135 - 1154. 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.