This interesting name derives from the late Olde English "prud" itself coming from the Olde French "proy" or "prod" meaning good or excellent, plus the Olde English "lufa", love, and was originally given as a nickname perhaps to a Medieval Casanova. The surname from this source was first recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century, (see below). One, Wyllyam Proudlove, Manchester, appears in "Records of Cheshire", dated 1541, and on May 6th 1570 Roberte Proudelove and Emme Etchuls were married in Prestbury, Cheshire. In July 1592, the marriage of Katheryn Proudelove and Thomas Emerson took place in St. Vedast Foster Lane and St. Michael le Querne, London, and in 1608 one, Elizabeth Proudlove appeared in the "Wills Records of Chester". A Richard Proudlove, of Sandbach, was also entered in these records in 1614 which indicates that the majority of namebeares hail from Cheshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Prudelove, witness, which was dated 1289, "The Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire", during the reign of King Edward I, 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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