This is an occupational name for a person who performed operations, mostly amputations, deriving from the Middle English and Old French term 'sur(ri)gien', which itself is derived from the Latin 'chirurgianus', from 'chirurgia' handiwork, Greek 'kheirourgia', a compound of 'kheir' hand and 'ourgia' work, from 'ergein' to perform or do. Before anaesthetics were invented, only primitive surgery was possible, which was often carried out by a barber or bath-house attendant. This name can be found under the variant forms of Surgey, Surge(o)ner, Surgenor and Surgen. Amongst the sample recordings is one of Barbes Surgeon who married Ann Haynes on March 25th 1640 at St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, London, and Georg Surgeon, son of Richard and Susan Surgeon, was christened on December 12th 1657, at St. Giles, Cripplegate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William le Suriegien, which was dated 1273, Hundred Rolls of Northamptonshire, 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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