La Touche History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The La Touche surname was taken on from any of several places so named, especially in Western France.

Early Origins of the La Touche family

The surname La Touche was first found in Notre Dame du Touchet, near Mortaine, in Normandy. "The ruins of the old castle are still visible near the parish church: and the race of its ancient possessors is not extinct." 1

"In 1082 Ursinus de Touchet was granted lands to the Church of St. William, Maortaine." 2

"The family of Touchet," says Collins, "hath been of great note, and came in with William the Conqueror, as is very evident, the name being on the Roll of Battle Abbey and in the Chronicles of Normandy." Its representative in the martial reign of Edward III. was Sir John Touchet, who married Joan, eldest daughter and eventually sole heir of James, Lord Audley of Heleigh, and thus secured to his descendants the inheritance of the ancient Barony of Audley. 3

Toget appears on the Roll of Battle Abbey, but was later Anglicized as "Tuchet." 1 The first record of the family in ancient Britain was Joceline Touchet who was seated in Cheshire temp. William I (during the reign of William I, the Conqueror.) He was father of Henry and his son, Henry was granted the village of Tattenhall by Ralph Gernons, the Earl of Chester. 2

"Audley [in Staffordshire] gives the title of Baron to the family of Touchet." 4

Little is known of the family until the 14th century when Sir John Tuchet (1327-1371) was listed. He married Joan Audley (1331-1393,) daughter of James Audley, 2nd Baron Audley to become the 3rd Baron Audley. His son John Tuchet (1371-1408) was the 4th Baron Audley and the 1st Baron Tuchet.

"The family of Tuchet, or Touchet, is very ancient in [Somerset]. William was summoned to Parliament as the first Baron Audley from 1299 to 1306." 5

Early History of the La Touche family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our La Touche research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1313, 1371, 1408, 1409, 1459, 1465, 1491, 1497, 1549, 1558, 1617, 1638, 1684, 1689 and 1963 are included under the topic Early La Touche History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

La Touche Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Touchet, Touchett, Touchette, Le Touchet, Le Touchett, Le Touchette, Touche and many more.

Early Notables of the La Touche family

Notable amongst the family in this period was James Touchet seventh Baron Audley (1465?-1497), descended from Adam de Aldithley or Audley, who lived in the reign of Henry I, and is considered the first Baron Audley or Aldithley. James Touchet Baron Audley of Hely or Heleigh, third Earl of Castlehaven (1617?-1684), was the eldest son and heir of Mervyn, lord Audley, second earl of Castlehaven...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early La Touche Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

La Touche Ranking

In France, the name La Touche is the 3,995^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 6

La Touche migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

La Touche Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Jehan LaTouche, who arrived in Canada in 1643
Martin Latouche, aged 52, who arrived in Canada in 1643
Jehan LaTouche, aged 45, who arrived in Canada in 1643
Julien Latouche, who married Élisabeth-Thérèse Bertaut, daughter of Jacques and Gilette, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec on 12th August 1671 7
Roger Latouche, who arrived in Quebec in 1680
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

La Touche Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Lucas Latouche, son of Roger and Marie, who married Thérèse Le Tellier, daughter of Jean and Renée, in Varennes, Quebec on 16th April 1714 7
Marien Latouche, son of Roger and Marie, who married Marie-Marguerite Daudelin, daughter of René and Marguerite, in Boucherville, Quebec on 18th October 1717 7
Jean-Baptiste Latouche, son of Roger and Marie, who married Madeleine Rougeau, daughter of Jean and Marie, in Boucherville, Quebec on 24th January 1724 7
Jean Latouche, son of Claude and Marie, who married Élisabeth Vallée, daughter of Jean and Marguerite, in Montreal, Quebec on 30th July 1725 7
Charles Latouche, son of Timothée and Hélène, who married Angélique-Jeanne Guillemin, daughter of Charles and Françoise, in Quebec on 7th October 1737 7

Contemporary Notables of the name La Touche (post 1700) +

Melissa Latouche, American actress and producer, known for Brash Young Turks (2015), Love Aaj Kal (2009) and Flashmob (2008)
John Latouche (1917-1956), American TV and film, lyricist and actor
John S. LaTouche, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Lackawanna County, 1881-84 8
Claude Guimond de La Touche (1723-1760), 18th-century French playwright and poet
Gaston La Touche (1854-1913), French painter, illustrator, engraver and sculptor
Rose La Touche (1848-1875), English pupil and cherished student, from which John Ruskin based Sesame and Lilies (1865); some speculate that Ruskin "fell in love" with Rose when she was between the ages of 14 and 18
Peter La Touche (1775-1830), Irish landowner and politician, Member of Parliament for County Leitrim (1802 – 1806)
Rose La Touche (1848-1875), young Irish girl who John Ruskin based Sesame and Lilies (1865)
Peter La Touche (d. 1830), Irish politician, Member of Parliament for Leitrim (1802–1806), nephew of Peter La Touche
Peter La Touche (1733-1828), Irish politician, Member of Parliament for Leitrim (1783–1790) and (1796–1798)
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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
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)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Oliver, George, Collections Illustrating the History of the Catholic Religion in the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wilts, and Gloucester London: Charles Dolman, 61, New Bond Street, 1857. Print
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html