This interesting and unusual surname is of French origin, and is occupational for the officer of the pantry, derived from the Anglo-French "paneter", from the Old French "panetier". The officer of the pantry supplied the bread and had charge of the pantry. This surname is one of the many given to servants who were in charge of different sections of a house, others include, Wardrober, "the officer of the wardrobe", and Kitchener, "the officer of the Kitchen". The name development since 1274 (see below) includes the following: Robert atte Panetrye (1332, Sussex), John de la Paneterie (1273, London), William Pantrie (1551, Oxford) and William Pantry (1693, Longon). The modern surname can be found as Pantry, Pantrey, Panter and Panther. Among the recordings in London are the christenings of Wiliam, son of Thomas and Mary Pantry, on June 9th 1675 at St. Giles, Cripplegate, and the marriage of Robert Pantry and Anne Hanks on October 28th 1679 at St. Katherine-by-the-Tower. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John de la Paneterie, which was dated 1274, The Hundred Rolls of London, during the reign of KIng Edward 1, "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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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