This most interesting surname is a variant form of the surname "Harman" or "Herman", which itself is of ancient origin deriving from a Germanic personal name "Hariman, Her(e)man", Old French "Herman(t)", meaning warrior, and composed of the elements "heri, hari", army and "man(n)", man, or from the Old Germanic personal name "Her(e)mar", army-famous. These personal names were introduced into England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. The first recorded namebearer is thought to be the 1st Century tribal leader "Arminius". Other variants of the surname include Herman, Harman, Harmand, Arme, Harm, Armes and Harms. The personal name is found in Norfolk, in the records of St. Benet of Holme, 1020 - 1240, as "Hermannus dapifier", and "Heremerus de la Bolde", in 1176 in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire. Henrie and Jane Harm were married on May 2nd 1611 at Rochdale in Lancashire, while one Elizabeth Harmes was baptised in 1617 at St. Martin in the Fields, London. Elizabeth, daughter of John and Jane Harmes, was christened on November 17th 1784, at St. Nicholas's, Liverpool The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Harme, which was dated 1582, marriage to Elizabeth Hatter, at Great Milton, Oxfordshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.

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