Painswick

Recorded as Painswick, Panswick, Penswick, and possibly others, this is an surname of Olde English pre 7th century origins. It is is rare surname and is locational from Painswick, a village in the county of Gloucestershire. This place was recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 simply as "Wiche" meaning the dairy farm, however at sometime in the following century the estate was granted to a Norman called Payne or Pain who died in 1137, and by the year 1265 the place was known as Payneswik. At some point in the following centuries it would seem that the village was probably hit by some natural disaster such as one of the several Great Plagues, although a change from arable farming to sheep rearing which required far fewer workers, is a possibilty. What we do know is that at least one family called Painswick lived in Painswick and may have been the lords of the manor. We have the recording of John Painswick who was christened at Painswick on February 4th 1703, although surprisingly the parents names are not apparently given. Another church recording that we have is that of Simon Panswick or Penswick, a christening witness at St Botolphs without Aldgate, city of London, on April 7th 1754.