The fourteenth-century poll tax returns and the study of English surname distribution

Parkin, Harry

Abstract

The modern-day distributions of English surnames have been considered in genealogical, historical, and philological research as possible indicators of their origins. However, many centuries have passed since hereditary surnames were first used, and so their distribution today does not necessarily reflect their original spread, misrepresenting their origins. Previously, medieval data with national coverage have not been available for a study of surname distribution, but with the recent publication of the fourteenth-century poll tax returns, this has changed. By presenting discrepancies in medieval and nineteenth-century distributions, it is shown that more recent surname data may not be a suitable guide to surname origins and can be usefully supplemented by medieval data in order to arrive at more accurate conclusions.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 2, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Jan 22, 2015
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Mar 15, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 22, 2016
• Journal: Historical Methods
• Print ISSN: 0161-5440
• Electronic ISSN: 1940-1906
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 48
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1-12
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01615440.2014.946985
• Keywords: distribution, medieval period, poll tax
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/843883
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01615440.2014.946985
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History on 22 January 2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/01615440.2014.946985
• Contract Date: Mar 16, 2016