This interesting surname of English origin with variant spellings Edis, Ediss, Edhouse, Eddiss, Eddowes etc., is derived from the pet name Edus from the old English female personal name Eadyifu or Eadgyth. It may also have derived from the pet name Aldus, itself coming from the old English personal name Ealdgyth. Recordings of the personal name include Eddusa (1196), Edus (1197), "The Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire", and Edusa (1211), "The Curia Regis Rolls of Gloucestershire". The surname dates back to the late 13th Century, (see below). London church recordings include one John, son of Randolphe Edowes who was christened on September 1st 1609 at St. Andrew's, Holborn, Robert, son of Henry Eddowes, was christened on February 27th 1614 at St. James, Clerkenwell, and William Eddowes married Ann Stevens on July 15th 1654 at St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate. Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Anne Eddowes, was christened on June 19th 1698 at St. Mary Abchurch. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Edus, Suffolk, which was dated 1277, Ely, Cambridgeshire, during the reign of King Edward 1, "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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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