Le Moucheux

This very interesting and rare name of French origins is found under a surprising variety of spellings, including Mouchard, Mouchart, La Mouche, Lamouche, Mouchot, Mouchet, Mouchier, Mochet, Mouchotte, Mouchette and Mouche. The name is medieval, and as it translates as "The Fly", is clearly a nickname. The name is also recorded heraldically, the Coat of Arms showing three flies charged on a silver bend. The original meaning was military, "the fly" being the person designated to climb the wall at the siege of a fortress, no doubt someone specially trained in this highly dangerous activity. Examples of the early recordings (all from France) include the following - Jeanne La Mouche, christened at Voinemont, which appears to be the original epicentre of the name, on February 23rd 1736, whilst on January 30th 1797, in the French Revolution period, Theresa Mouchote (as spelt) married Francois Corneux at Aizauvillle, Haute-Marne. Among the unusual London recordings is that of Rene Denisus Lemouse, who married Louise Le Tellier at St. Pancras on October 29th 1804. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jeanne La Mouche, which was dated October 29th 1804, a christening witness at Voinemont, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France, during the reign of King Louix X1V of France, known as "The Sun King", 1643-1715. 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.