There are two distinct sources of this interesting surname which is of French origin, the first being that it derives from the Old French personal name Malhard, composed of the Germanic elements "madal", meaning council and "hard", brave, strong. This personal name was probably introduced into Britain by the Normans at the Conquest of 1066. However Mallord, may also be a variant spelling of the nickname surname Mallard, that would have been given to a person with some fancied resemblance to the wild duck, with the derivation from the Middle English, Old French "malard", originally from "ma(s)le", meaning male. Among the recordings in London is one Joseph Mallord, who was christened on January 22nd 1695 at St. Katherine Creechurch. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Maylard (marriage to Jone Gilburne), which was dated October 27th 1538, St. Lawrence Jewry, St. Mary Magdalene, Milk Street, during the reign of King Henry V111, "Good King Hal", 1509 - 1547. 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.