Pardon

Recorded in a number of spellings including Paradin, Parradine, Parden, Pardon, Pardner, Partner, and Partener, this is an English medieval surname, although one probably of early French origins. It is secular and occupational and refers to a licensed person known as a Pardoner, who sold indulgences on behalf of the church. Where a person was judged guilty of some offence effecting the church, this could be granted remission by payment of an indulgence. Not surprisingly it was a system open to abuse. It has been said that if there was one single factor which persuaded the general public of England and Scotland to largely support the introduction of the protestant faith, it had nothing to do with for instance the wish of King Henry V111 to marry his mistress, or the closing of the monasteries, with which they were probably in favour, it was the suppression of various associated practices, of which the pardoner was one. These often enriched the church and vested interests, but brought discredit on religion in general. Perhaps not surprisngly the surname is quite rare. The first known recording is probably that of Walter le Pardoner in the Parliamentary Writs for the city of Cambridge in the year 1322. Thomas Pardon appears in the Subsidy Tax rolls of Worcester in 1327, and in the surviving church registers of the diocese of Greater London, that of George Parradine, who was christened at St Giles Cripplegate, on April 22nd 1624.