Dight

This is one of the most interesting and unusual names on the English register, it derives from the pre 10th Century word "dihtan" meaning "to equip" and is job descriptive for the Armourer or body servant responsible for dressing the knight prior to Battle or Tournament. This was a function usually performed by the "Squire" - a word of French origin of widespread popularity, "Dight" being regarded as "Saxon" would account for its rarity. The name development includes Edward Dight, son of the first name holder, christened at St. Brides on November 3rd 1594 and his Sister Sara, christened on July 9th 1596, also at St. Brides. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Dight, which was dated 1591, Married Elizabeth Geare at St. Brides, Fleet Street, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 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.