This interesting surname is of early medieval English and Old French origin, and is an occupational name for a servant. The name derives from the Middle English, Old French "sergent", servant, from the Latin "serviens", present participle of "servire", to serve. The word also developed various specialized meanings, for example, a technical term for a tenant by military service below the rank of a knight, and as the name for any of certain administrative and legal officials in different localities.
Robert le Serjaunt is noted in the 1221 Curia Regis Rolls of Leicestershire, and Thomas le Sergeant is listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire (1266). A family by the name of Sargeant trace their descent from John le Sergeant, who held the office of sergeant of the forest of Dean from about 1327. In the modern idiom the surname has many variant spellings ranging from Sargant, Sargeant and Seargeant to Sergant, Searjeant and Sergeaunt. Recordings of the surname from London Church Registers include: the christening of John, son of Robert Sargeant, on November 8th 1580, at St. Botolph without Aldgate, and the christening of Thomas, son of Francis Sargeant, at St. Mary Mounthaw, on September 16th 1598. A Coat of Arms granted to the family depicts a black chevron between three black dolphins embowed on a silver shield, the Crest being a black dolphin embowed between two silver wings. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Edric le Sergant, which was dated 1185, in the "Documents relating to the Danelaw", Lincolnshire, during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. 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.
The history of the surname sarjant is, like that of most surnames, a complex and fascinating journey to ancient times with the aim of unraveling the origin of sarjant. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname sarjant is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation.
It is common for surnames like sarjant to become known in places far removed from their country or region of origin. Discover which ones. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname sarjant provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The historical journey of the surname sarjant can be traced back to those who were the first bearers of sarjant. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname sarjant, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of sarjant developed.
You can visit us regularly to get more information about the origin of the surname sarjant, as we frequently accept significant contributions from other individuals interested in heraldry and the history of surnames. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about sarjant and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
Unfortunately, it's highly probable that not all sarjants who performed notable deeds have been included in historical chronicles and records. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname sarjant were recorded by the chroniclers of the time.
It goes without saying that consulting bibliographic and documentary sources is essential when accessing information about the origins of the surname sarjant. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of sarjant are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of sarjant, and at the same time, of surnames in general.