Recorded as Charer, Charrier, Carrier, Charman, Sharman, and the very rare dialectal Sharier and Sharrier, this is an surname of Olde French origins. Introduced into the British Isles at or after the famous Conquest of England in 1066, it is occupational and describes a carter or driver of a "char", a short form of charriot. Job-descriptive surnames were amongst the earliest to be introduced around the 12th century, but only became hereditary if and when a son followed this father into the same business or skill. If the son went his own way, the original surname usually died with the father. Early examples of the surname recordings taken from surviving charters and registers include John le Charrer, in the Hundred Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1273; William le Charman, in the Assize Court rolls of Staffordshire, dated 1293; and Adam le Sharman, in the Calendar of Letter Books for the City of London. A quotation from "Issues of the Exchequer", dated 1333, reads, "To Master William la Zousche, clerk of the King's great wardrobe, in money, paid to him by the hands of John le Charer, for making a certain chariot". On July 1st 1542, Edward Charman, was christened at Horsham, Sussex, whilst Elizabeth Sharrier married John Verndley at St Martins in the Field, Westminster, on August 24th 1721. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Robert Chareman. This was dated 1183, in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire, during the reign of King Henry 11nd, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. 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.

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