Pusey - Name

This interesting and unusual surname is English. It is locational from a place originally called Pesei in the county of Berkshire, and recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. In or about the 12th century the village name spelling, probably under Norman influence adopted the (near) modern form of 'Puseye'. The origination is from the pre 7th Century "pisu", meaning pea, and "-eg", an island or low-lying land; hence an area where peas were grown. This itself is unusual in that vegatables generally formed only a small part of the pre-medieval diet. Other surnames from this source in the modern idiom include Pezey, Pizey, Pizzey, and Pizzie. During the Middle Ages when migration for the purpose of job-seeking was common, people often took their former village name as a means of identification. Early examples include Joan de Pusye, recorded in the Assize Court Rolls of Somerset, circa 1277, and John de Puseye, who is mentioned in the Cartulary of Oseney Abbey, Oxford. Elizabeth, daughter of John and Precelia Peasey, was christened on April 15th 1683, at St. Giles' Cripplegate, London. It is claimed that nameholders have held the Manor of Pusey from the time of King Canute. The Coat of Arms was granted prior to 1710, this being a red field, with three silver bars, and a crest of a wild cat. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Adam de Pesy, which was dated 1220, in the "Feet of Fines of Berkshire", 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.