Show ContentsTarbock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Tarbock family first reached the shores of England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Their name is derived from the ancient Norman given name Terbert.

Early Origins of the Tarbock family

The surname Tarbock was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times at Tarbock, after the Norman Conquest in 1066. They were descended from the Baron Richard, brother of Sir Robert Fitzhenry, founder of Burscough Priory. " Henry de Tarbock or Torbock, who was early the lord of Tarbock, Roby, Huyton, Knowsley, and other manors, had two sons. The elder of these, Robert, was sometimes distinguished by the Norman patronymic FitzHenry, which the English rendered Harrison, and sometimes was denominated from his principal residence, de Lathom; while Richard, the other son, inheriting Tarbock, designated himself from that estate." 1

Early History of the Tarbock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tarbock research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1606 is included under the topic Early Tarbock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tarbock 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 Tarbock, Tarbocks, Tarbox, Tirebuck, Torbock, Tarbuck, Tarbux and many more.

Early Notables of the Tarbock family

More information is included under the topic Early Tarbock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tarbock 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 Tarbock or a variant listed above: Mary Tarbuck settled in Maryland in 1745; Richard Tarbutt settled in Virginia in 1663; John Tarbux settled in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1631.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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