where did house numbering originate from?

Answer 1

The Mesopatmium Empire needed to know who to tax and why, so rather than calling that Assams House, and the next one Son of Assams House, they appointed Numbers.
Every tax collector ever since has insisted upon it.

Answer 2

During the Black Death, the guys who collected the dead use to put big red crosses on the doors to notify the plague was present there. A number was placed underneath to identify how many had died there. This practise caught on because it was easier to remember the number of the dead. The number system took hold because the Government could keep track of its inhabitants. This lead to naming streets, then the house number so tax inspectors could collect from the right house.
This system has its origins all across Western Europe during the march of the Black Death. It can be attributed to a number of Countries, as all adopted its simplicity at around the same time, for different reasons. Tax collecting being one.

Answer 3

It's a serious question and I'm going to give it a serious answer.
It was a French revolution idea. Before then it was just "two doors down opposite the alehouse" sort of thing.
The first numbers were all city numbers I think, and a bit clumsy. An example which has stuck with us is 4711 - that was the numbering for the shop in Cologne where they made the perfume.

Answer 4

well post didn't originate until the Elizabethan era (not to be really taken up until the Victorian era) and only for the royals. So from my knowledge it stared as a a way of finding houses (i.e the first on the High Street, The 2nd on the high street etc). until it became necessary to completely number them to find then as expansion does. (what do you mean on Market Street we have at least 30 houses there!)

Answer 5

The Romans. The street design and numbering.

Answer 6

I like the ans from EXAMANATOR,has a ring of truth,but! whow knows.
In my humble opinion,it may have started with the English census(the doomsday book)
All of England was correlated,and i do think,all cities,villages,hamlets where "numbered by the buildings in them.
Best to look up ,doomsday book.
It will start your quest(it's a good intellectual one 4 the mind).
Still like the 4711 (french connection) "with a slight tounge in cheek chuckle".

Answer 7

By the clever guy who dreamt up the Postal Service , The Royal Mail in the UK. He had to come up with some thing good. Apart from that you would say ......"my mate is in the 4th house" so Its a funny one :O)

Answer 8

Easier to deliver the mail.

Answer 9

so postmen could find the house to deliver letters to.

Answer 10

That would be the Snazgrabs in the land of Nob during the Third Luterium Period, so that the Dark Angel would pass over because he was superstitious.