This interesting surname of English origin is a nickname for a cheerful person, from an aphetic form of the Anglo Norman French "Enveisie" meaning "playful" or "merry". The surname dates back to the early 12th Century, (see below). Further recordings include one Thomas le Envaiset (1150), "Cartularium Abbathiae de Rievalle of Yorkshire". Adam le Veyse (1270) witness, "The Assize Rolls of Somerset", and William Veysy (1357), "The Estates of Crowland Abbey, Cambridgeshire". Variation in the idiom of the spelling include Vaisey, Vaizey, Vasey, Veasey, Veazey, Vesey, Vezey, Veysey, etc.. One Thomas Vesye married Elyanore Eggese on April 28th 1561 at Christchurch, Greyfriars, Newgate, London. Mary, daughter of James and Mary Vezy, was christened on July 21st 1659 at St. Mary Whitechapel, London and William son of Thomas and Elizabeth Vezey, was christened at St. Andrews, Undershaft, London on May 28th 1716. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Lenveiset, which was dated 1131, Cartularium Abbathiae de Rievalle, Yorkshire, during the reign of King Henry 1, "The Lion of Justice", 1100 - 1135. 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.