Pescott

This unusual and interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is an occupational surname for a seller of peas. The name derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "peose, pise", pea, from the Latin "pisa", with the Olde English "codd", bag; hence, a peascod or peapod. The Olde English term "pise" was a collective singular, from which the modern English vocabulary word "pea" is derived by folk etymology, the singular having been taken as a plural. The "Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York" records the following: "Item, to wif of William Greneweye for bringing a present of peesecoddes to the Quene, 11s". The development of the surname from this source includes John Pesecod (1279, Northumberland), William Piscod (1327, Sussex), and John Pasegude (1441, Yorkshire), while the modern surname has forms ranging from Peascod, Pescod(d), Pescud and Peas(e)good, to Pescott, Peskett and Bisgood. Church Recordings in London include the marriage of Alexander Pescott and Marthe Pemerton in Twickenham, on November 26th 1593, and the christening of Thomas, son of Robert Pescott, on September 8th 1622, at St. Dunstan in the East. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Pisecod, which was dated 1221, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Warwickshire", 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.