This interesting surname of English origin is a locational name from Pennicott or Pennycott near Crediton, Devon, deriving from the Old English pre 7th Century "penn" meaning "enclosure" plus "cot" "cottage". The surname dates back to the mid 16th Century, (see below). Further recordings include one Margery Penycote who was christened in Crediton, Devon, on September 19th 1566. Joseph, son of Simon and Mary Pennicote, was christened at St. Ann's, Blackfriars, London, on January 12th 1648, and Hannah, daughter of William and Elizabeth Pennicott, was christened in Burrington, Devon, on October 5th 1651. One Harriet Pennicott married John Drage on December 27th 1846, at St. Pancras Old Church, London, and Kate, daughter of Thomas and Jane Pennicott, was christened at St. Stephen's, Coleman Street, London, on April 17th 1853. Variations in the modern idiom of the spelling include Pennycod, Pennicote, Penycote, etc.. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Penycote married Maryon Grene, which was dated 1545, St. Margaret, Westminster, 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.