| ![Show Contents]() Nantz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Nantz. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Nantz family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Nantz is a local type of surname and the Nantz family lived in the village of Nanfan, in Cornwall. Members of the family were involved in the blacksmith trade and prior to the 18th century often went by the occupational name Trengove, from the Cornish words tren meaning strong, and angove, meaning smith. Many used the name Trengoff of Nance. Early Origins of the Nantz familyThe surname Nantz was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat from early times. The manor of Truthal in the parish of Sithney, Cornwall was "granted to the family of Nants or Nance, [after the Reformation] who were succeeded in the possession by the Arundells of Tolverne." 1 Early History of the Nantz familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nantz research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1521, 1547, 1553, 1561 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Nantz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Nantz Spelling VariationsCornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Nance, Trengove, Trengoff, Trengrove and others. Early Notables of the Nantz familyAnother 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nantz Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Nantz RankingIn the United States, the name Nantz is the 13,697th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2  Migration of the Nantz family to Ireland
Some of the Nantz family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Nantz familyAmongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Nantz were Alice Nance and her husband settled in Virginia in 1639; Nancy Nance arrived in Philadelphia in 1820.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Nantz (post 1700) | + |
- James William "Jim" Nantz III (b. 1959), American sportscaster for CBS's top play-by-play team since 2004
- Claud Sheridan Nantz (b. 1899), American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1944, 1948
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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England
Ireland
