Currer

This interesting surname, with variant spellings Currier and Curryer, derives from the Old French "conreeur" a currier, one who curries leather, from the Latin "coriarius", a tanner, from "corium", leather, and would have originated as an occupational surname for a "leather-dresser". The surname is first recorded in the mid 13th Century (see below), and other early recordings include: Henry le Coureer, who appears in the Calendar of Letter Books of the City of London (1281), and William le Coureour, who appeared there in 1314. Recordings of the surname from London Church Registers include: Johne Currer, who married Ruthe Rowsse on October 4th 1614, at St. Stephen's, Coleman Street; Marie Currer, who married Nathaniell Snelling on May 11th 1630, at St. Gregory by St. Paul's; and the marriage of Elizabeth Currer and Nicholas Bennett on May 1st 1649, at St. Peters, Paul's Wharf. A famous namebearer was Frances Mary Richardson Currer (1785 - 1861), a book-collector, who possessed a library of fifteen thousand volumes. She printed "Extracts from the Literary and Scientific Correspondence of Richard, M.D.", in 1835. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard le Curur, which was dated 1256, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Northumberland", 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.