Kersey

Recorded in several forms including Carsey, Carssey, Cersy, Cersey, Cursey, Karsey, Kersy, Kersey, and possibly others, this is an English surname. It is locational from the village of Kersey in Suffolk. First recorded in the famous Domesday Book in 1086 as "Caresia", this spelling may well be the root for the later surname forms. The village name means "Cress Island" from the Olde English pre 7th century "caerse ey." The surname is a much later development and probably came about in the 15th century, when as a result of the Enclosure Acts, common land was lost to the inhabitants, who were then forced to look elsewhere for their living. These unfortunate people then took (or were given) as their surname, the name of their former village. As few could spell, recordings often took on a "sounds like" appearance. Early examples of recordings taken from surviving church registers of the diocese of Greater London include: Thomas Carsey at St Sepulchre church in the city of London, on September 2nd 1621, whilst on January 18th 1624, Nicholas Curzie was christened at St Mary Somerset. On May 7th 1620 John Keresy was christened at the church of St Martin Pomeroy whilst on July 13th 1673 Edmund and Mary Curzey were recorded at St Dunstans Church, Stepney. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Kersy, which was dated April 29 1550, married Elizabeth Brady at St Peters Church, Cornhill, London, during the reign of King Edward V1, known as "The Boy King," 1547 - 1554. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.