Quantick

This interesting and unusual name is of English locational origin from a number of places in Somerset called "Quantock Hills" and "East Quantoxhead" and "West Quantoxhead", the former, recorded "Cantucuuda" in 682, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, is a ridge extending eight miles from Bishops Lydeard to the coast near Watchel, where one finds the latter. "Cantoche" in the Domesday Book (1086), refers to some place near the hill, while "Cantic" is a British name of the ridge from the Celtic word "canto", a circle or rim. The ridge must alternatively have been called "cantuc(es)heafod", the Old English word for Quantock Hill. Thomas Quantocke married Katharine Kyrle at Isle Abbotts, Somerset on February 4th 1650, while Hannah son of Thomas and Susanna Quantock at South Brent, Somerset on November 5th 1695. A family bearing the name "Quantock" at Norton House, Ilminster, Co. Somerset were granted a Coat of Arms which consisted of a blue eagle displayed with two heads, and three silver estoiles in chief, on a gold field with black spots. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of George Quantick, married Alice Davies, which was dated February 9th 1627, at Wedmore, Somerset, during the reign of King Charles 1, "The Martyr", 1625 - 1649. 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.