Contents [hide]

Durand History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Durand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Italy
Scotland

The region of Dauphine, in the French Alps, was the ancestral homeland of the prestigious surname Durand. The surname Durand is a nickname surname, which belongs to the category of surnames known as hereditary surnames. This particular surname was originally derived from the Old French word durant, which means enduring. It was a nickname commonly used for a stubborn, unbending person. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character.

Early Origins of the Durand family

The surname Durand was first found in Dauphiny (French: Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois), a former province in southeastern France, where the family dates back to as early as 1095 when a member of the De Durand family took part in a Crusade. Ponce De Durant and Humbert, his brother, are mentioned in two charters dating 1188 and 1205.

Many members of this ancient family took part in the wars of their times, protecting the King and their country, for which they were rewarded with lands and titles. The son of Ponce, Pierre I De Durant (1175-1256) was a Lord who controlled much land in Chabeuil. In 1380, Noble Simon is mentioned in the ancient archives as a taxpayer and landowner. A prominent member of the family, Reymond De Durand served with distinction in the armies of Louis XI and of Charles VIII and in consideration of his loyal services, the latter King granted him the title of Guard of the castle of Perpignan in 1485, at which time the castle was of great importance for the State.

Charles Durand, Gentleman of the Chamber, married Anne de Bonne de Sénégas in 1566 and their grand-son, Charles, was the Baron of Sénégas and the ancestor of the Marquis of Sénégas. The majority of the members of the Durand family held lands and titles.

Nicolas Durand, born in 1637, son of Pierre and Nicole (née Prevost), travelled from France to Canada in the 17th century. After arriving in Quebec he married Françoise Gausse, daughter of Maurice and Marguerite (née Blay), on 12th September 1661. They remained together in Beauport, Quebec until Françoise passed away on 9th March 1714. 1

Early History of the Durand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Durand research. Another 24 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1589, 1600, 1680, 1721, 1763, 1789, 1814 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Durand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Durand Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Durand, Durant, Durrand, Durrant, Durant, Durrant, Durend, Durrend, Durent, Durrent, Duran, Durran, Duranc, Durranc, De Durand, De Durant, Duranti, De Durand, De Durant, Durante, Durrante, Durande and many more.

Early Notables of the Durand family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Jean-Etienne Duranti who received his Doctorate of Law, became the Attorney General, and the President of the Parliament of Toulouse, but was murdered by members of a league on February 16, 1589. His...
David Durand (1680-1763), was a French Protestant minister and author, born in 1680 at Sommieres in the south of France, and studied for the ministry at Basle. 2

Durand World Ranking

In the United States, the name Durand is the 4,423^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Durand is ranked the 597^th most popular surname with an estimated 8,429 people with that name. 4 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Durand is the 237^th popular surname. 5 France ranks Durand as 8^th with 84,252 people. 6

Durand migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Durand Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Durand who settled in Virginia in 1635
William Durand, who landed in Virginia in 1635 7
William Durand, who landed in Maryland in 1648 7
Elizabeth Durand, who landed in Maryland in 1648-1649 7
John Durand, who landed in New England in 1657 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Durand Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Louise Durand, who landed in Louisiana in 1719 7
Marguerite Durand, who arrived in South Carolina in 1755-1756 7
Marie Durand, who landed in South Carolina in 1755-1756 7
Marie Anne Durand, who arrived in South Carolina in 1755-1756 7
Joseph Durand, who arrived in South Carolina in 1755 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Durand Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Victor Durand, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1827 7
Nicholas Durand, aged 44, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 7
Joachin Victor Durand, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1841 7
Charles Durand, aged 44, who arrived in New York in 1849 7
Leame Durand, aged 14, who arrived in New York in 1849 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Durand migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Durand Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Edward Durand, who arrived in Canterbury aboard the ship "Hastings" in 1856
Mary Durand, who arrived in Canterbury aboard the ship "Hastings" in 1856
Sarah Ann Durand, who arrived in Canterbury aboard the ship "Hastings" in 1856

Contemporary Notables of the name Durand (post 1700) +

Elias Durand (1794-1873), French-born, American pharmacist and botanist
Asher Brown Durand (1796-1886), American painter
William Durand Jr., American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Milford, 1830-31 8
Samuel Durand Jr., American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Milford, 1821-22, 1824, 1826-27, 1829 8
Lorenzo Thurston Durand (1849-1917), American Democratic Party politician, Saginaw County Prosecuting Attorney, 1879-82; Candidate for Governor of Michigan, 1902; Candidate for Circuit Judge in Michigan 10th Circuit, 1917 8
Howard W. Durand (b. 1860), American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Cheshire, 1919-20 8
Homer Durand, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Governor of Ohio, 1924 8
Helen Durand, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Minnesota, 1972 8
George Harman Durand (1838-1903), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Michigan 6th District, 1875-77; Defeated, 1876 8
Frank Durand (1895-1978), American Republican politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly, 1930-31; Member of New Jersey State Senate from Monmouth County, 1933-38 8
... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Durand Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fert patriae facilem annonam
Motto Translation: Brings the country an easy market

Citations +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html