Recorded in many forms, although all are quite rare, this is an early English surname. It originates from the pre 7th century personal name Eadwig, composed of the elements "ead" meaning prosperity, and "wig" meaning war, or perhaps war-like. In medieval; times Eadwig seems to have been shortened to Edwy, and it is from this spelling that the modern surname is a development. The surname is very early which given its origins is not entirely surprising, except that it is one of the few early names to have survived the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Thereafter for at least a century 'English' names were no longer politically correct. The earliest known recording of the surname in any of the spellings is that of Robert Edwy in the rolls known as the 'Archaeological Cantiana' of 1254, whilst Adam Eadwy appears in the Subsidy Tax Rolls of Suffolk in 1272. The modern spellings of the surname include Eddis, Eddy, Edey, Edy, Edds, Edes, Edis, Edison, Edesin and possibly others. Later recordings taken at random from early surviving church registers include those of Richard Eyddes who married Johanna Edley in London in 1533, and Joan Eddie who married William Woode on January 20th 1600 at St. Nicholas, Cole Abbey, also in the city of London. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.