Contents [hide]

Travis History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Travis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Travis is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was given to a person who was a person who collected a toll from travelers or merchants crossing a bridge. This common practice had the purpose of providing financial resources to maintain the upkeep of the bridge. The surname Travis is derived from the Old English words travers, travas, traves, and travis. These are all derived from the Old French nouns travers and traverse, which refer to the act of passing through a gate or crossing a river or bridge. 1

Alternatively the name could have originated in Normandy at Trevieres, between Bayeux and Caen. "The name continued in Normandy, where Ranulph de Chnchamp, after 1138, assumed the name of Travers." 2

"In the time of the Conqueror, Robert de Travers or d'Estrivers, Baron of Burgh-upon-Sands, married the daughter of Ranulph de Meschines, Lord of Cumberland, and the sister of Ranulph Bricasard, who succeeded his cousin Richard d'Abrincis as Earl of Chester in 1119. He received from his father-in-law the office of Hereditary Forester of Inglewood in fee, which passed through his only child, Ibria, to Ralph de Engayne. This forestership of Inglewood was so honourable, and gave so great command, that there is no wonder the family should wish by every means to set forth their claim to it" 3

Early Origins of the Travis family

The surname Travis was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, at Mount Travers, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

The Manor of Skelmerdale in Lancashire proved to reveal some interesting details about the family. According to the Domesday Book, it was originally held by Uctred, who also held Dalton and Uplitherland. Later it was part of the forest fee, held by the Gernet family. "The first of them known to have held it, Vivian Gernet, gave Skelmersdale and other manors to Robert Travers; these were held in 1212 by Henry Travers under Roger Gernet." 4 The manor passed on to the Lovels, but they lost it later after the forfeiture in 1487.

Other early records include Walter de Travers who was listed in Hodgson's History of Northumberland in 1219 and two listings in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Hugh Travers in Lincolnshire; and Nigel Travers in Buckinghamshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Robertus Trauers. 5

The township of Nateby was an early home to this distinguished family. "This township is said to have been in the tenure of the family of Travers, of Tulketh, so far back as the reign of Henry I.; Laurence Travers, who lived soon after that reign, was succeeded by eleven generations, and Nateby appears in possession of William Travers in the reign of Elizabeth." 6

Early History of the Travis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Travis research. Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1522, 1525, 1532, 1548, 1575, 1578, 1590, 1594, 1598, 1609, 1614, 1635, 1647, 1654, 1659, 1664, 1671, 1677, 1688, 1770, 1796, 1834, 1854 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Travis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Travis Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Travis family name include Travers, Traverse, Travis, Traviss and others.

Early Notables of the Travis family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Henry Travers of Monkstown Castle whose daughter married the Viscount Baltinglass; and Walter Travers (1548?-1635), an English Puritan theologian, chaplain to William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin from 1594...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Travis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Travis Ranking

In the United States, the name Travis is the 841^st most popular surname with an estimated 34,818 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Travis family to Ireland

Some of the Travis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 137 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Travis migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Travis or a variant listed above:

Travis Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Walter Travis, who settled in Virginia in 1637
Edward Travis, who landed in Virginia in 1637 8
Walter Travis, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 8
Thomas Travis, who landed in Virginia in 1666 8
Daniel Travis, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1680 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Travis Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Travis, who settled in Maryland in 1738

Travis Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Travis, aged 25, who arrived in St Louis, Missouri in 1847 8
Albert Travis, who settled in San Francisco, California in 1850
John Holland Travis, who settled in New Castle Co. Del. in 1856
Michael Travis, aged 40, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1867 8
Moses Travis, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1872 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Travis migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Travis Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Travis, English convict who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "David Lyon" on 29th April 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. James Travis, (b. 1817), aged 18, British Labourer born in Manchester who was convicted in Chester, England for 7 years for stealing clothing, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 10
Mr. Thomas Travis, English convict who was convicted in Norfolk, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 9th May 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
Miss. Ann Travis, British Convict who was convicted in Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 9th March 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Charlotte Travis, aged 17, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Taymouth Castle" 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Travis 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:

Travis Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Travis, (b. 1829), aged 27, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 14
Mrs. Sarah Travis, (b. 1833), aged 23, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 14
Mr. Edward Travis, (b. 1852), aged 4, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 14
Mr. William Travis, (b. 1853), aged 3, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 14
Miss Elizabeth Travis, (b. 1855), aged 1, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th October 1856 14

Contemporary Notables of the name Travis (post 1700) +

John Dean Travis (1940-2016), American politician, Louisiana State Representative (1984-2000)
Ryan Travis (b. 1989), American football fullback
Nancy Ann Travis (b. 1961), American actress, best known for her roles in films Three Men and a Baby (1987) and Three Men and a Little Lady (1990)
Scott Travis (b. 1961), American rock drummer, best known as the drummer for the English heavy metal band Judas Priest
Randy Travis (b. 1959), American country singer, who has sold over 25 million records, has 6 Grammy awards, 6 CMA awards, 9 ACM awards, 10 AMA awards, 7 Dove awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Merle Travis (1917-1983), American country and western singer, inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1977
Cecil Travis (1913-2006), American Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman, inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1975
Michael Travis (b. 1965), American jamband drummer
Bill Travis (b. 1957), American photographer
Abby Travis (b. 1969), American bassist
... (Another 38 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Travis family +

Arrow Air Flight 1285

Mr. Theodore Travis (1953-1985), American Sergeant from Niagara Falls, New York, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 15

Halifax Explosion

Mr. William Travis (1867-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Mrs. Maude Travis (1870-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Mr. Frederick Thomas Travis (1896-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 16
Master Albert E Travis (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Miss Irene Travis (1906-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16

The Travis 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: Nec temere nec timide
Motto Translation: Neither rashly nor timidly.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-lyon
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1847
South Australian Register Thursday 4th May 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Taymouth Castle 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/taymouthcastle1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance