This interesting surname of English origin with variant spellings Flisher, Flesher, Flescher, etc. is an occupational name for a butcher deriving from the Old English "flaesc" meaning "flesh" plus a derivative of "heaven", "to cut". The surname dates back to the mid 13th Century, (see below). Further recordings include one Richard Flesseure (1374), "A Descriptive Catalogue of ancient Deeds of Buckinghamshire", Adam Flescher (1379) "The Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire", and Thomas Flesshour (1455), "Register of the Guild of the Corpus Christi in the City of York. London church records include one Alis Flesher who married Nichola Wyte on June 16th 1566, at St. Margaret's, Westminster. Elizabeth, daughter of James and Elizabeth Flesher, was christened on March 31st 1653, at St. Botolph without Aldergate, and their daughter Mary was christened on July 8th 1656, also at St. Botolph without Aldergate. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard le Fleshewere, Yorkshire, which was dated 1268, The Middle English surnames of Occupation, during the reign of King Henry 111, "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.