Recorded in several spellings including Polglase, Polglaze, Poulglase, Poulglais and others, this is a surname of Cornish (English) origins. It is locational and originates from any of the twelve parishes called Polglaze in the county of Cornwall. The name means 'The green pond', and in this mild, wet and rocky outpost of England, it is perhaps not surprising that so many places have or had the same place name. Locational surnames throughout Europe have much the same pedigree. That is to say that they are 'from' names, or names given to people after they left their original homes to move somewhere else. The easiest way in the past to identify 'strangers', being to call them by the name of the place from whence they came. Spelling being at best indifferent but local accents very thick lead to the creation of variant or sounds like spellings, some very far removed from the original form. However in Cornwall things were done differently and people who lived at a place were called by the name of that place. With twelve to go at this created problems. However spellings have remained recognizeable and early examples include those of Benat Polglase of Sancreed in Cornwall on February 12th 1572, and in the registers of the city of London that of Nicholas Poulglais at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on June 28th 1579.

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