This is an occupational name for a clerk or keeper of records in Latin. It traces its roots to the Anglo-Norman-French "Latiner" or "Latimmier" meaning interpreter. To quote the Promptorium Parvulorum, circa 1327, "Latonere, or he that usythe Latyn speche". Latin was the universal language of official documents in the Middle Ages, thus during this era, the name began to occur with increasing frequency. Baron William Latimer (1329 - 1381) was Governor of Britanny (1366), Chamberlain of Kings Household (1369) and Governor of Calais in 1377. On April 4th 1564 John Lattimer and Anne Cole were married in Saint Olave, Hart Street, London, and on July 24th 1614 Frauncis Lattimer married a Thomas Oulton in St. Stephan's, Coleman Street, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ralph Latimarus, which was dated 1086, The Domesday Book, during the reign of King William 1, 'The Conqueror', 1066 - 1087. 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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