Recorded as Sack, the patronymics Sacks, Saks, Sackes, the diminutive Sackey, and others, this is an English surname. It has two distinct possible origins. The first is from the Old English pre 7th century word "sacc" meaning a sack, and originally given as an occupational name to a maker of sacks or bags. The source of the word is the Roman saccus, and probably ultimately a Semitic root. Sack may also have originated as a regional name for a person from Saxony, written in German as Sachsen, and so called from a Germanic tribe who settled there in the 5th century. They were named from the Old High German word "sahs", meaning a specific dagger used by them. Early English recordings include William Sak in the Subsidy Tax Rolls of Essex in 1327 whilst on April 2nd 1570 Elizabeth Sackes was christened in St. Andrews, Enfield, and on May 30th 1686, William Sackey was christened at St. Giles Cripplegate, city of London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Symon Sac. This was dated 1250, in the cartulary of Ramsey Monastery, Essex, during the reign of King Henry 111rd, known as "The Frenchman", 1211 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes 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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