Restorick

This unusual name is Cornish in origin, and is a locational surname from the place called 'Restowrack', a farm in the parish of St. Dennis. The placename means 'the marshy moorland' or hill-spur', derived from the Cornish (celtic) elements 'ros', hill - spur or moor, with 'dowrek', watery. Locational surname were usually given to the landowner(s) and especially to those former inhabitants of a place who moved away to live or work in another area. The marriage between John Restorick and Mary Pasment was recorded on the 13th October 1672 at Bodmin, Cornwall, and in London one Isaac, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Restorick, was christened at St. Dunstan's, Stepney on the 9th February 1713. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Restarecke, which was dated 30th April 1569, who was christened at Cornelly, Cornwall, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth lst, 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.