This interesting name is of English and Scottish origin, and was a nickname for a rich man or a miser. It is derived from the Middle English (1200 - 1500) "many", many, a development of the Old English pre 7th Century "manig, monig", and the Middle English "peny", a penny, from the Old English "peni(n)g". The first recording of the name in England is of one William Manypeny, in the Calendar of the Patent Rolls of Somerset, in 1229. The modern surname can be found as Moneypenny, Monypenny, Monipenny and Monypennie, Monypenny being the most common form in Scotland. Among the sample recordings in London are the marriage of Robert Moneypenny and Ann Dallison on June 22nd 1726 at Lincolns Inn Chapel, Holborn, and the christening of Anne, daughter of Robert and Anne Moneypenny, on July 21st 1728 at St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster. The marriage of Amelia Moneypenny and James Scott was recorded on November 26th 1796 at Cres, Fife, in Scotland. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Monipenie, which was dated 1200 - 1211, Ancient Records of Fife, Scotland, during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. 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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