Tandy

This very unusual surname is of early English origins, and a diminutive form of the personal name "Andrew". It is recorded particularly in the West Midlands areas, and as such is a dialectal, which probably developed through a shortening of 'the son of Andrew'. The name "Andrew" was introduced into England by both the Normans after the Conuquest of 1066, and the Crusaders, and is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Andreas", the original Greek form. The meaning of the personal name is "manly", a translation which no doubt helped its considerable popularity, and it is recorded in a great many variant diminutive and patronymic forms throughout Christendom. St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and of Russia. Examples of early recordings include John Andres in the 1326 London Rolls, Willam Andro of Aberdeen in 1399, whilst rather later the marriage of Sarah Tandy to Elias Clark was recorded at St. Peter's church, Cornhill, London in 1638. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Joane, daughter of Homfric Tandy, christened, which was dated 1584, St. Dionis Backchurch, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 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.