This is one of the many variants of the famous Greek name 'Philip', which translates as 'The Horse Loves'. Philo, Philot, Phillot or Phillott, the modern spellings, are a form of patronymic meaning 'the son of Philip', other similar variants of the same meaning are Philpot, Philcox, and Phillins. The name developments includes Filippus de Crochesbi (1142, Lincolnshire) Maud Phillippes (1279, Huntingdonshire) whilst the first recording in the patronymic would seen to be Philota de Kender (1273, Derbyshire). The variant development includes Cornelius Philo (1693, London), Anne Fillot (1640, Stepney), Betty Philot (1753) and Charles Philot who married Rebecca Sporton at St. Martins in the Field, Westminster in 1819. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alicia Phillo, christened, which was dated 25th February 1626, Saint Weonards, Herefordshire, during the reign of King Charles I, The Martyr, 1625 - 1649. 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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