This is an occupational name for a dealer in feathers, deriving from the Olde French "plumier" itself coming from the Latin "plumarius" referring to one who dealt in plumes or feathers. Alternately, Plumer may be an occupational name for a worker in lead, deriving from the Anglo Norman French "plom(b)" or "plum(b)" meaning "lead", plus the agent suffix "er". The surname from the former source is first recorded in Westmoreland (see below), one, Roger Plumer appears in the 1185 "Knights Templars Records of Yorkshire". On April 5th 1675 one, John Plumer embarked from London on the ship "May flower" bound for Providence, Rhode Island. Sir Thomas Plumer (1753 - 1824) was created first vice-chancellor of England in 1813 and became master of the rolls in 1818. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walterus Plumarius. which was dated 1176, in the "Pipe Rolls of Westmoreland". during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. 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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