This interesting name derives from the medieval English "Mak(en)", to make, plus "Pais", peace and was originally given as a nickname to a mediator or one recognised for his skill in ending discord. The surname is first recorded in the early half of the 13th Century (see below). One Thomas Makepays, witness, appears in the 1340 Fines Court Rolls of Staffordshire, and Joan Makepeace was the name given to the daughter of Edward 11 (1307 - 1327), when the prolonged war with the Bruces of Scotland was partly pacified by her marriage. One of the earliest recordings of the name in London was the marriage of Elizabeth Makepeace and Christopher Hodgkins in the Church of St. Botolph's, (Bishopsgate) Register on July 30th 1564. William Makepeace Thackeray (1811 - 1863), author of "Vanity Fair", was a famous bearer of the name.The Coat of Arms most associated with the family was granted to William Makepeace of Pensham Court, county Worcester in 1724 and has the blazon of a blue shield, on a gold fesse between two gold leopard's passant, three red cross crosslets fitchee. The crest being a leopard resting the dexter foot on a shield charged with the cross. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gregory Makepais, which was dated 1219, in the "Register of the Freemen of Leicester", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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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