The Grice and the Dummett

Speranza

There are two theories about the surname "Grice": it may mean pig in Scots, or "grey" in old French. I prefer to think it means 'grey' in Old French. Grice came from the heart of England, which was once part of France, etc.

---- O. T. O. H., there's Dummett.

This rare and interesting name is, no doubt, of purely French origin. As such it was most likely introduced into England after the Norman Invasion of 1066.

It is, in fact, an Anglicization of a locational name from

"Dumart-en-Ponthlieu" (Somme), France.

--- if you've been there (and even if you haven't).

The following example illustrates the name development after 1150:

"Aliz de Dumart", or "de Dummart" (1200 - 1201, Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire).

The modern variant form is Dummett.

During the Middle Ages when it became more customary for people to migrate from their native home, generally to seek work elsewhere, they would often adopt the place-name as a means of identification, thus resulting in a wide dispersal of the name.

Among the recordings from London Church Registers is the marriage of one

"George Dommett"

to one Martha Calley on November 29th 1739, at St. Anne's, Soho.

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of

"Gerald de Domnomeardo",

which was dated circa 1150, in Sir Christopher Hatton's "Book of Seals",
Northamptonshire, during the reign of King Stephen, known as "Count of Blois", 1135 - 1154.

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.

Dummet spelt his surname the modern way, "Dummett" rather than in the original format, "Dumart-en-Ponthlieu".