The surname of TABERNER was an occupational name 'the taverner' a keeper of a tavern, or it was occasionally used of a stable, and it may have meant one who was employed at such a place. Occupational surnames originally denoted the actual occupation followed by the individual. At what period they became hereditary is a difficult problem. Many of the occupation names were descriptive and could be varied. In the Middle Ages, at least among the Christian population, people did not usually pursue specialized occupations exclusively to the extent that we do today, and they would, in fact, turn their hand to any form of work that needed to be done, particularly in a large house or mansion, or on farms and smallholdings. In early documents, surnames often refer to the actual holder of an office, whether the church or state. The name was originally rendered in the Latin form TABERNARIUS and was brought into England in the wake of the Norman Invasion of 1066. Early records of the name mention Richard le Taverner, 1273, County Cambridge. Falco le Taverner, ibid. Robert le Taverner of County Somerset, was documented during the reign of Edward III (1327-1377). Edward Tavenor of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. A later instance of the name includes Wyborrowe, son of John Taverner who was baptised at St. James's, Clerkenwell, London in the year 1615. John Taverner (1490-1545) was the English musician born in Boston. He was the organist at Boston and Christ Church, Oxford, and composed notable motets and masses. He was accused of heresy, and imprisoned by Cardinal Wolsey, but was released for 'being but a musitian'. Richard Taverner (1505-1575) was the English author. He was patronized by Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, for whom he compiled Taverner's Bible (1539). On Cromwell's fall he was sent to the Tower, but soon released, and found favour with Henry VIII. It has long been a matter of doubt when the bearing of coats of arms first became hereditary and it was not until the Crusades that Heraldry came into general use. Men went into battle heavily armed and were difficult to recognise. It became the custom for them to adorn their helmets with distinctive crests, and to paint their shields with animals and the like. Coats of arms accompanied the development of surnames, becoming hereditary in the same way. |
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