We believe that this rare surname was originally (in England) only recorded in the town of Romford in the county of Essex, and then in the spellings of Howgego and Howgegs. It is claimed to be of Flemish origins, and to derive from the word or perhaps name 'huisinga.' If so and we have grave doubts, this loosley translates as 'The house (hus) of the people (-ingas). As most people in early times lived in wattle houses with a very short life, the use of 'hus' would probably indicate a more substantial and stone built place, and hence the surname would indicate a person or a family of local importance. The surname in England is also believed to be associated with the famous Huguenots, the protestant refugees of the 16th to 18th century who fled from (mainly) France to escape the religious persecution of those times. Many of these people were highly skilled artisans, and these skills they employed for the greater betterment of the British nation. What seem to be proven is that the early recordings at l;east in these spellings, are 18th century, with the first name holder believed to have been James Howgego, who with his wife Mary was a christening witness at Romford Parish Church on May 5th 1776. This was during the reign of King George IIIrd of England, 1760 - 1820. 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.

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