Recorded as Eshmade and earlier as Esmead and Ismead, this would seem to be an English surname of two possible origins. Firstly it could be a form of Esmond or Eastmund, a personal name of pre 7th century origins, which later became as Eastman, Eastment, Astman, Esmond, Esmonde, and probably others, a popular medieval surname. Translating as 'favour protection' it is one of the rare examples of an Olde English name which survived both the Norman Conquest of 1066, and later the input of 'Christian' or biblical names from about the 12th century, and synonymous with the famous Crusades to the Holy Land. Secondly it could have been locational from a place such as Ismere, and a hamlet in the county of Worcestershire, or possibly from a now 'lost' village, whose name translated as 'water meadow'. Examples of the surname recordings from London church registers, include Charles Esmead, at St Olaves church, Southwark, on December 1st 1706, and John Eshmade who married Emma Hornblower at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on April 2nd 1843.

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