This interesting name is one of the many patronymic forms of Edmond, which is derived from the Middle English (1200 - 1500) given name "Edmund" from the Old English pre 7th Century "Eadmund", composed of the elements "ead", prosperity, fortune, and "mund, protection. In medieval England and France the name was often bestowed in honour of the East Anglian King, St. Edmund the martyr, who was killed by pagan Danish invaders in 869. The name development since 1210 (see below) includes the following: John Edmond (1275, Worcestershire), Sibil Edmund (1275, Worcestershire), William Admond (1349, Cambridgeshire), Robert Edmondson (1379, Yorkshire) and John Edmundson (1414, Yorkshire). The modern surname can be found as Edmond(s), Edmons, Edmund(s), Edmondson and Edmundson. An interesting namebearer was Sir William Edmonds, who was a Scottish colonel in the Dutch service; he was killed during the defence of Rhineberg in 1606. Henry, son of Henry and Jane Edmonds, was christened on September 10th 1749 at All Hallows, London Wall, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Nicholaus Edmundus, which was dated 1210, Curia Regis Rolls, Cambridgeshire, during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. 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.