Ossenna

This rare and intriguing name is of French origin and is widespread in Guernsey, and is a nickname surname given to someone born on the medieval feast day of Palm Sunday. The derivation is from a female given name "Osanna", itself from a Hebrew liturgical word used among the Jews, meaning "save now" or "save pray". The name was Latinized as Hosanna, hence Osanne or Ozanne. The following examples illustrate the name development after 1250 (see below), John Osan (1279 Hundred Rolls of Berkshire) and Richard Osan (1296-1297 Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire). The first recording of this name in London is of one Charles Ozanne, christened on October 22nd 1735 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, and in Guernsey, James Ozanne on April 29th 1748 at St. Michael, Vale.A Coat of Arms was granted to Richard Mansell Ozanne and his descendants, and the descendants of his uncle, Peter Ozanne, both of Landes, in the Island of Guernsey and has the blazon of a purple field thereon a chevron engrailed between three fleur de lis ore, a helmet proper between two crosses crosslet fitchee gules. The crest being a purple demi lion holding in the dexter paw a cross crosslet fitchee ore, and resting the sinister upon a helmet proper. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Ossenna, which was dated circa 1250, in the Hertfordshire "A descriptive catalogue of Ancient Deeds", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.