This is an interesting and unusual name of English origin and is locational from a place called High Edser, a hamlet in the parish of Ewhurst, Surrey. The derivation of this surname is from an Old English personal name "Ecga", with either "scearu" a boundary, border or ridge, or "Scaga" a copse, which is suggested by the spelling of the earliest recording of the name (below). The name development is illustrated by the following examples, Robert Eggyshaw (Feet of Fines, Surrey), John Edsawe, Thomas Edsale (Musters Rolls of Surrey) and Robert Edsurs (1684 ibid). One William Edser the infant son of Robert Edser was christened on April 25th 1616 at Bramley, Surrey and Jone Edser married Thomas Wheeller on June 3rd 1679 at Crawley, Surrey. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Egeshawe, which was dated 1332, "The Subsidy Rolls", Surrey, during the reign of King Edward III, "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. 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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