T The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be hat of his name is of English locational origin from the city in Lancashire thus called. The name was spelt Loncastre in the Domesday Book of 1086 and Lanecastrum in the 1094 Pipe Rolls of that county. The first element of the name derives from the river Lune on which the city stands, plus the Olde English pre 7th century 'ceaster', a Roman fort. The surname from this source is first recorded in the latter half of the 12th century (see below). In 1327 one John de Lancaster appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire. The modern surname can be found as Lancaster, Lankester, Langcaster, Lon(g)caster and Lan(g)castle. One Richard Lancastell married Jane Renoulds at St. Dunstan's, Stepney on the 29th May 1613, and Sarah, daughter of Stephen Lancastle was christened on the 24th September 1648 at St. James', Clerkenwell. William de Lonecastre. which was dated 1175 in the Staffordshire Chartulary during the reign of King Henry 11, known as 'The Builder of Churches' 1154-1189 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.