Tartt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

When the ancestors of the Tartt family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They 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 Tartt family

The surname Tartt 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 Tartt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tartt 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 Tartt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tartt Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Tartt has been recorded under many different variations, including Dart, Darte, Darth and others.

Early Notables of the Tartt 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 Tartt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tartt Ranking

In the United States, the name Tartt is the 15,325^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Tartt family

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Tartts were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: 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.

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.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/