Walaron

This rare and interesting surname has two distinct possible sources. Firstly, the surname may be of Germanic origin, from a personal name, composed of the elements "walh", foreigner, and "hrafn", raven. The given names "Waleranni" and "Galerami" are noted in Essex in the Domesday Book of 1086. Secondly, the surname may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from Waldron in Sussex. The placename is recorded as "Waldrene" in the Domesday Book of 1086, and as "Walderne" in the 1197 Pipe Rolls of the county, and derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "weald", forest, and "aern", house; hence, "house in a wood". Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. Richard Walram was listed in the 1262 Feet of Fines of Essex. In the modern idiom the surname has many variant spellings ranging from Waldron, Waldrum and Walrond, to Waleran, Walaron and Waleron. Early examples of the surname from Devonshire Church Registers include: the christening of Robertus, son of Roberti Walaran, on March 6th 1605, at Ashburton, and the christening of Joan Waleron, daughter of Humphrey Waleron, at Crediton, on June 23rd 1616. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Waleram, which was dated 1196, in the "Cartulary of St. Mary's", Clerkenwell, London, during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "Richard the Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. 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.