Ironmonger

Recorded as Iremonger and Ironmonger, this is an ancient medieval English surname. It is not absolutely clear when the surname was first recorded, but John le Ironmonger of Oxford, and John Irinmongere of Huntingdon, both appear in the Hundred Rolls of their respective cities in the year 1273. Occupational surnames only usually developed into surnames when a son or perhaps a grandson, followed the father into the same work or profession. This may account for the reason why the "le" appears in the first recording, but not the second, on the other hand given that few could write their name and local dialects were very thick, it may just have been simple clerical error. As ironmongers were admitted to their own guild, this suggests that the occupation was not just a retail sales function, but probably involved actually making or at least designing whatever iron implements and tools were ultimately sold. Examples of the surname recordings taken from the surviving registers of the diocese of Greater London include those of Joane Ironmonger who married Henry Holden at St James church, Clerkenwell, in 1617, and in 1666, Richard Warner married Elinor Iremonger, at the same church.