Seggie - Name

This rare and intriguing name is of French origin and is an Anglicization of the French (Provencal) name 'Sequi' or 'Sequy' which derives from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements 'sigi', victory, with 'wine', friend. Seggie, Sigie, and Seguy was first introduced into Britain in the mid 17th Century with the influx of French Huguenot's, who having escaped religious persecution in their native land, sought refuge in Britain. The surnames that these migrants brought with them were only lightly Anglicized, if at all, and remain to this day distinctive, for example, David Seguy was christened on November 9th 1701 at Hungerford Market or Castle Street, French Huguenot Church, Westminster, and Peter Seggie married Mary Duke on September 26th 1843 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gemme Sigie, which was dated February 24th 1656, French Huguenot Church, Threadneedle Street, London. during the reign of Oliver Cromwell, 'The Great Protector', 1649-1660. 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.