Tanny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Tanny was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Tanny family lived in Normandy where this "baronial name derived from the Castle of Tani. Auvrai de Tanie is on the Dives Roll : and Robert de Tany witnesses William the Conqueror's charter to Selby Abbey, Yorkshire.He held a barony in Essex, when the name was given to Stapleford-Tany, Chignall-Tany, and Latton-Tany." 1

Early Origins of the Tanny family

The surname Tanny was first found in Essex where Hasculf, son or Robert de Tany, who in 1140 had a great suit with Rualo de Abrincis, also contested some property with William de Boville, who was the father of Rainald and Gruel. Rainald, a benefactor of Bermondsey Abbey in Surrey, left no heirs, and Gruel, or Grailand, succeeded, and certified in 1165 that he held three knight's fees de veteri feoffamento.1

His son also named Hasculf had a son named Gilbert, whose next heirs were William de Fauburgh, Maud the wife of Adam de Legh, and Nicolas de Beauchamp. He died in 1220, seized of seven knight's fees in the counties of Essex, Cambridge, and Suffolk, the Lordships of Aungre (Ongar) and Auvilers forming part of his barony. 1

Later,Peter de Tani was Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire. Of his son John we are only told that he bestowed some land on Waltham Abbey, but his grandson. Sir Richard, was Sheriff of the two counties in 1260 and 1261, Conservator of the Peace in 1263. 1

Hasculfus de Tania was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Essex in 1195. 2

Early History of the Tanny family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tanny research. Another 190 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1195, 1608, 1651, 1654, 1655, 1659, 1674, 1721, 1748, 1786 and 1791 are included under the topic Early Tanny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tanny Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Taney, Tanney, Tauny, Tauney, Tawney, Tawny, Tannie, Tani and many more.

Early Notables of the Tanny family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Theaurau John Tany (bap. Thomas Totney 1608-1659), an English preacher and religious visionary. The morning of 30 December 1654, Tany made a large fire at Lambeth into which he cast his great saddle, sword, musket, pistols, books and bible and was committed to the Gatehouse prison where he was later bailed (1655) upon habeas corpus. "His surname is spelled in nine different ways, and seems to have been pronounced 'tawny.' A...
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tanny Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tanny family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Tanny or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Citations +

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
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)