Tarte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Tarte was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Tarte family lived in Devon, near the river Dart, from which the surname derives. 1

Alternatively, the name could have originated from the Old French word "dart 'a pointed missile thrown by hand', perhaps metonymic for a soldier or a hunter." 2

Early Origins of the Tarte family

The surname Tarte was first found in Devon where Ralph de Derth was recorded in 1242. A few years later Juhelinus de Derte was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls for Devon in 1275. The name is from Dart Raffe in Witheridge, Devon. Later again, John Dart was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Devon in 1524. In Gloucestershire, Walter Dert was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1221. 2

The family may have given birth to the parish of Dartington, in the union of Totnes, hundred of Stanborough, Stanborough and Coleridge, in Devon, two miles from Totnes 3 which is home to Dartington Manor, an historic hall and country estate of 1,200 acres dating from medieval times. One source claims the manor is "one of the most spectacular surviving domestic buildings of late Medieval England." Today it is the home of the Dartington Trust, which currently runs 16 charitable educational programs, including Schumacher College, Dartington Arts School, Research in Practice and the Dartington International Summer School.

Early History of the Tarte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tarte research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1730, 1817, 1836, 1838, 1841, 1842, 1851, 1852, 1856, 1860, 1862, 1865, 1871, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1885, 1886 and 1887 are included under the topic Early Tarte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tarte Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Dart, Darte, Darth and others.

Early Notables of the Tarte family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Dart (d. 1730), English antiquary, "bred an attorney, but meeting with little success in that profession, he turned to the church as a means...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tarte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tarte family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Tarte or a variant listed above: Ambrose Dart settled in Boston, Massachusetts about the year 1640; and Richard Dart settled in New London in the year 1664; Jane Dart settled in Bermuda in 1635.

Contemporary Notables of the name Tarte (post 1700) +

Reuben J. Tarte, American owner of Hotel de Haro, San Juan Island in San Juan County, Washington (1956-1988)
Jeff Tarte (b. 1956), American politician, Member of the North Carolina Senate (2013-)
Kevin Tarte (b. 1957), American singer from Seattle, Washington, known for Beauty and the Beast (German musical version)
Dr. Sandra Tarte, academic and political commentator from Fiji
Joseph-Israël Tarte (1848-1907), Canadian politician and journalist, Member of the Canadian Parliament for Montmorency (1891-1892)

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.