Podmore

This interesting and curious surname is of early medieval English origin, and is a locational name from either of the places called Podmore in Staffordshire, or Podimore in Somerset; the former was recorded as "Podemore" in the Domesday Book of 1086. These placenames are composed of the rare Middle English word "pod, pad", a frog, and the Middle English "-more" (Olde English pre 7th Century "mor"), a fen or marsh, moor. During the Middle Ages, when migration for the purpose of job-seeking was becoming more common, people often used their former village or hamlet name as a means of identification, resulting in a wide dispersal of the name. Early examples include: the marriage of Johannes Podmore and Anna Winkcle on January 31st 1575, at Biddulph, Staffordshire; the christening of Susanna, daughter of Leonard and Thomisine Podmore, on September 23rd 1580, at Gnosall, Staffordshire; and the marriage of Joane Paddemore and John Witherowe at Crewkerne, Somerset, on October 13th 1624. A Coat of Arms granted to Arthur Podmore, of Dublin, in 1683, depicts a green field with an ermine pile wavy charged with a black Moor's head couped. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Podmore, which was dated May 10th 1562, marriage to Margaret Wright, at Mucklestone, Staffordshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.