Dabner - Name

This interesting name derives from the Olde French "daubier" meaning a whitewasher or plasterer and was an occupational name for one employed to "wattle and daub" walls, common in the Middle Ages. The surname from this source is first recorded in the early 13th century (see below). One Peter le Daber appears in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls of Sussex. The surname is well recorded in Surrey Church Registers from the late 17th century on under the variant spellings: Dabnor, Dabernott, Dabnot and Dabner. On February 28th 1696, the christening of one Rebecca Dabner daughter of Thomas Dabner is recorded in Horley and on August 23rd 1730, the marriage of Judith Dabner and Michael Constable is entered in Headley Church Registers. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugo Daubur, witness. which was dated 1219, in the "Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire". during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman" 1216 - 1272. 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.