This unusual and interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname deriving from the place called Badsey, near Evesham, in Worcestershire. The place is recorded in the "Saxon Chronicles" of 709 as "Baddeseia", and in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Badesei". The name means "Baeddi's island", derived from the Old English pre 7th Century personal name "Baeddi", from "beadu", battle, with "eg, ieg", island, also used of a piece of firm land in a fen, and of land situated on a stream of between streams. The same "Baeddie" gave his name to a stream near the village of Badsey, recorded as "Baeddeswellan" in the 972 "Saxon Chronicles". The surname development in the neighbouring county of Warwickshire includes: Johanna Badsee (1598), Kateryn Badzee (1607), John Badsie (1629), and Edward Badsy (1638). Among recordings of the name in Worcestershire is that of the marriage of William Badsey and Margarett Wyan, at St. Andrew's, Droitwich, on October 2nd 1580. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Margeria Badsey (christening), which was dated October 24th 1542, Badsey, Worcestershire, during the reign of King Henry V111, "Bluff King Hal", 1509 - 1547. 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.