This interesting and unusual surname is of German origin and is an occupational name for a butcher. The derivation is from the High German "fleisc", and the modern German "fleisch", which corresponds to the Old English pre 7th Century "floesc", all having the meaning, flesh or meat, with the second element "Maun", a man. It was in medieval times as it is now an important occupation, hence, the numerous recordings of Fleischmann in Germany, and the various equivalent forms, for example "fleish(n)er", and "fleischaur", which again correspond with the Middle English "fleshewere", in which the second element is from the word "heawan", to hew or cut. Among the recordings in London at St. George's, Mayfair Westminster, is the marriage of Daniel Felix Fleischmann and Maria Clotton on October 15th 1752 and in Coburg, Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha Germany on November 23rd 1555 of Catharina Fleischman and Wolfgang Espacher. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hanns Fleyschman (marriage to Dorothea Nuesslin), which was dated March 15th 1534, Nuernberg Stadt, Mittel Franken Bayen, Germany, during the reign of King Charles V of Germany, 1519 - 1566. 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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