Contents [hide]

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

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Durand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Italy
Scotland

The distinguished surname Durand was first brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is patronymic in origin, signifying "the son of Durant," an Old French personal name. Looking at records from this time, we found Geoffry, Roger and Henry Durant who claimed descent from Normandy c. 1180-95 1 while another census in 1198, lists Aceline, Ralph, Richard, and Robert Durant. 2

Early Origins of the Durand family

The surname Durand was first found in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire at Tong, a parish, in the union of Shiffnall, Shiffnall division of the hundred of Brimstree. "Tong Castle, the seat of the family of Durant, a magnificent mansion remodelled in the last century, is crowned with numerous turrets, pinnacles, and eight lofty domes, producing a striking effect: it contains many valuable pictures and cabinets." 3

The Domesday Book of 1086 has the first record of the family. Durandus, the Latin form of the name in use at that time was registered in Winton, Hampshire as holding lands there at that time. 4

Another branch of the family were found at Wallingswells in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "In excavating near the house [of Sir Thomas Woolaston White], in 1829, several stone coffins were found, and amongst them that of Dame Margery Dourant, second abbess of the convent, who died in the reign of Richard I ([1189-1199)]." 3

And yet another branch of the family was found in Cornwall. "The manor of Lanestock, which is partly in the parish [of St. Austell], and partly in Tywardreath, has of late years passed under the same title as Trenance Austell. This was anciently in the family of Durant, from whom it passed into that of the Arundells of Trerice in Newlyn. The manor of Thorlebear [in the parish of Launcells, Cornwall] was formerly the property of the Durants, by whose heiress it was carried in marriage to the Arundells of Trerice." 5

Early History of the Durand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Durand research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1140, 1296, 1564, 1578, 1631, 1644, 1660 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Durand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Durand 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 Durand, Durant, Durande, Durrane, Dant, Dante and many more.

Early Notables of the Durand family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Drant (d. 1578?), English divine and poet, born at Hagworthingham in Lincolnshire, son of Thomas Drant. "On the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's visit to the university in August 1564 he composed copies of English, Latin, and Greek verses, which he presented to her majesty. " 6 John Durnat...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Durand Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

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. 7 However, in Canada, the name Durand is ranked the 597^th most popular surname with an estimated 8,429 people with that name. 8 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Durand is the 237^th popular surname. 9 France ranks Durand as 8^th with 84,252 people. 10

Durand migration to the United States +

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 Durand or a variant listed above:

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 11
William Durand, who landed in Maryland in 1648 11
Elizabeth Durand, who landed in Maryland in 1648-1649 11
John Durand, who landed in New England in 1657 11
... (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 11
Marguerite Durand, who arrived in South Carolina in 1755-1756 11
Marie Durand, who landed in South Carolina in 1755-1756 11
Marie Anne Durand, who arrived in South Carolina in 1755-1756 11
Joseph Durand, who arrived in South Carolina in 1755 11
... (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 11
Nicholas Durand, aged 44, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 11
Joachin Victor Durand, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1841 11
Charles Durand, aged 44, who arrived in New York in 1849 11
Leame Durand, aged 14, who arrived in New York in 1849 11
... (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 12
Samuel Durand Jr., American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Milford, 1821-22, 1824, 1826-27, 1829 12
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 12
Howard W. Durand (b. 1860), American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Cheshire, 1919-20 12
Homer Durand, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Governor of Ohio, 1924 12
Helen Durand, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Minnesota, 1972 12
George Harman Durand (1838-1903), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Michigan 6th District, 1875-77; Defeated, 1876 12
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 12
... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

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)
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.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. 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