This interesting and unusual name derives from two possible sources. Firstly, it may be a variant of "Pearman", itself from the old English "Pere", pear, plus "mann", man and originally given as an "occupational" name to a grower or seller of pears. The first recording of the surname from this source dates from the late 13th Century (see below). A Gilbert Perman was mentioned in the "Calender of Letter books of the city of London" in 1376. The surname may also be habitational from "Permond", which was probably a spot in Normandy or the Low Countries, and as with other names ending in "-mond", the final "d" is dropped. On January 30th 1582 at St. Albain's in London, Thomas Pearman married Elizabeth Arnold on January 30th 1633, John Pearmaine married Elizabeth Bracken at St. Botolphs, Bishopgate, London. Also at this church on March 11th 1649, Samuel, son of John and Elizabeth Pearmain was christened. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Pyrman, which was dated 1296, in the "Subsidy Rolls of Sussex", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "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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