Nend

This is an unusual medieval English descriptive topographical surname. It is recorded in the "modern" spellings of Nand, Nands, Nind, Nend, Nund, and Ind, whilst possibly Nundy and Nunday may be from the same derivations. The name is of West Country origins, from the counties of Somerset and Worcester, and describes where in a village a person resided, i.e. atten - end, or the end of the village. The name is similar to the more usual Town(s)end, that is to say one who lived at the end of the Town.The prefix "atten" seems to have been "lost" in about the 14th century, when the language began to take the form that we basically know today. An early example of the surname recording is that of John Attehinde, who was the rector of Burnham in the county of Norfolk in the year 1340. Norfolk being on the eastern side of the country had a totally different dialect and spelling, the form there being originally "atten-hinde", although the meaning is the same. Moving north Christopher Nend is recorded as being a Freeman of the city of York in 1443. Later recordings include Joane Nind, the daughter of Richard Nind, christened at Alstone, Worcestershire on March 14th 1595, whilst Thomas Inde was recorded at St. James church, Clerkenwell, London, on June 1st 1667. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of John Attenend, which was dated 1260, in the charters of the county of Somerset, during the reign of King Henry III of England, (1216 - 1272).