The Ash tree was a widely reported feature of the English Countryside and residence at or of "the Ash" resulted in the modern names spellings of Tash, (ate-Ash), Nash (atten-ash) or Dash (de-ash in addition to the more usual "Ash" itself. In fact there are at least twenty alternative spellings, including Ashe, Asche, Daish, Daysh, Rasch, Rash, Tasch, Tesh, Aish, Naish etc, whilst the name development includes Ralph de Asche (1296, Sussex), William ate Nasche (also 1296, Sussex), Richard Dasch (1320, London) and Alan Tassh (1327, Suffolk). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard del Esche. which was dated 1221, witness at "Worcester Assize Court". during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.