This very unusual name has two possible origins. The first of these is from the German occupational surname Riemer, also found as Rieme and Riehm and the Low German - Flemish forms Re(h)mer and Rehm(e), which is for a maker of leather reins and similar articles. The derivation is from the Middle High German "Riemaere", an agent derivative of "rieme(n)", strap, belt, thong. The modern surname "Rehm" may also be a German variant of the French medieval given name "Remy", a combination of two distinct Latin names, "Remigius", meaning "Oarsman" and "Remedius", meaning "healer". The surname is found in the eastern and northern counties of England where it was brought by German and Flemish clothworkers from the 14th Century on and Anglicized as "Reme" (1560), "Reime" (1664), "Rheme" (1686) and "Rehm" (1788). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Margaryt Reme (christening), which was dated 19th May 1560, at St. Michael Coslany, Norwich, Norfolk, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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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