Drayson

This most unusual surname is of Norman origin, and is a patronymic formed from the Germanic personal name "Drogo", which is akin to the Old Saxon word "(gi)drog", ghost, phantom, dragon, and was the name borne by one of the sons of Charlemagne. It was introduced to England by the Normans, after the Conquest of 1066. Drogo de Monte Acuto was a companion of William the Conqueror and founder of the Montagu family, who revived the given name "Drogo" in the 19th Century. The French variant introduced after 1066 was "Dru", later found in medieval English as Dreye, Dray and Drew. Alce and Ann, daughters of George and Elizabeth Drayson (see below) were christened at Borden in Kent, on May 23rd 1572 and October 18th 1573, respectively. Joane Drayson married William Estone at Davington, Kent, on July 26th 1574, while one Tamsin Drassen married Thomas Michell at St. Giles-in-the-Wood, Devon, on May 14th 1582. Castle Drogo, owned by the Drew family of Drewsteignton in Devon, was the last castle to be built in England, in 1926. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of George Drayson, which was dated April 24th 1569, marriage to Elizabeth Boote, at Borden, in Kent, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st, known as "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.