This unusual and interesting name is of Norman origin, and is a variant form of the occupational surname Parmenter, which in the modern idiom is also found recorded as Parminter, Pammenter and Parmeter, and the more unusual forms Pamment and Pemment. The name is descriptive of a maker of facings and trimmings, a tailor with specialist skills. The derivation is from the Old French word "par(e)mentier", from "parement", meaning fitting, finishing, ultimately derived from the Latin "paramentum", itself a derivation of "parare", meaning to prepare, adorn. Job-descriptive surnames originally denoted the actual occupation of the namebearer, and later became hereditary. The surname may have been introduced into England by followers of William the Conqueror after the Norman Invasion of 1066. Recordings from English Church Registers include: the marriage of Richard Pemment and Elizabeth Gardiner on July 12th 1733, at St. Bride's, Fleet St., London; the christening of Eliza, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Pamment, on February 13th 1816, at Greenwich, Kent; and the christening of Alfred, son of Henry and Jane Pamment, on January 12th 1834, at St. Pancras, Old Church, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Elizabeth Pamment, which was dated June 8th 1612, marriage to Richard Walter, at Marden, Kent, during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. 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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