Ogle - Meno

Recorded as Ogle, Oglee, Ogley, and possibly others, this is an English and occasionally Scottish, surname. It is locational either from a place called Ogle in Northumberland, or Ogley in Staffordshire. The first place name derives from the Olde English pre 7th century personal name Ocga plus "hyll", a hill and hence Ocga's Hill. The surname from this source is first recorded in the latter half of the 12th century (see below). The second means Ocga's farm, and it is very unlikely that the two Ocga's were in anyway related. Early examples of the surname recordings include that of Sir Robert de Ogle who in 1362 held half the barony in Northumberland, whilst Richard Ogle appears in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, whilst Henry de Ougley witnessed a charter of lands in Fife circa 1395. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Ogle. This was dated 1181, in the "Pipe Rolls of Northumberland". during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches" 1154 - 1189. 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.