Legen

This interesting and unusual name is one of the diminutive forms of the surname "Legg(e)", which is found mainly in the southern counties of England, particularly Devonshire. The name derives from the Middle English "legg", leg, a development of the Old Norse "leggr", which was used as a personal name as well as a nickname or byname for someone with particularly long legs, or perhaps with some peculiarity of the leg or legs. The modern surnames Leggin, Leggen, Leggon, Legen and Legon are variant forms of the diminutive "Legg-inig", meaning "little Legg(e)". The development of the name includes: Ann Legion (1593, Essex), Margaret Legen (1611, Devonshire), Barbara Leggin (1654, London) and Richard Leggen (1687, Devonshire). The marriage of John Legon and Elizabeth Mason was recorded at St. George's, Mayfair, London, on May 15th 1753. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Elizabeth Legens (christening), which was dated January 30th 1565, in St. Mary's, Whitechapel, 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.