This unusual name has its origins in a very old Anglo - Scandinavian personal name, "cytelric", which is a good example of the many compound names dating from the 9th Century composed of Olde Norse and Olde Swedish joined with Olde English elements. Here the name is derived from the Olde Norse word "ketill", meaning "sacrificial cauldron", and the Olde English pre 7th Century "ric", meaning "power". In the modern idiom this surname can be found in four different forms: "Ketteridge", "Kettridge", "Kitteridge" and "Kittredge". The marriage between "John Ketteridge" and "Susanna Beardo" was recorded on the 19th of October 1684 at St. James's, Duke's Place, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Adam Keterych, which was dated 1317, in the "Fines Court Records of Essex", during the reign of King Edward 11, known as "Edward of Caernafon", 1307 - 1327. 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.