Duckett - Name

This very interesting name has at least three known and overlapping possible origin sources. In order of probability these are a nickname from the Olde French "Ducquet" which could mean either the diminutive "son of Duc" (Petit-Duc) with "Duc" itself being a personal name translating as "The leader". The second possibility is that the name means "The Owl", another nickname also spelt "Ducquet" and given to a person of Wisdom, possibly a village Elder. The third is an Olde English diminutive from the personal name "Ducca", a pre 7th Century name of uncertain origins but again probably a nickname associated with "Douke" - meaning "To dive". The name development includes Thomasine Duckett who married Christopher Danse on June 7th 1546 in London and Zacharie Duchett christened at St. Michael's, Wood Street, London on June 19th 1597. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Rammlt Duchet, which was dated 1130, in the "County Pipe Rolls of Hampshire", during the reign of King Henry 1, known as "The Administrator", 1100 - 1135. 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.