Show ContentsTatan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the name Tatan date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Tatan family lived in the township of Tatton found in the parish of Rostherne in the county of Cheshire. The surname Tatan is a habitation name that was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname originated as a means of identifying individuals from a particular area. In the Middle Ages people often assumed the name of the place that they originally lived as their surname during the course of travel.

Early Origins of the Tatan family

The surname Tatan was first found in Cheshire at Tatton, a small civil parish now in the Borough of Cheshire East. "Robert Tatton of Kenworthy, in Northended, who married the heiress of William de Withenshaw, alias Massy, about the latter end of the reign of Edward III, is the first proved ancestor of this family, but there is reason to believe that he was descended from the much more ancient house of the name who were seated at Tatton in the twelve century. " 1

Tatton Park is a historic estate just north of the town of Knutsford and is home to Tatton Hall and Tatton Old Hall, a manor house which dates back to the 16th century. "The manor passed with Etchells, in Northen parish, and became the property of the Tatton family." 2

Early History of the Tatan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tatan research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1643, 1645, 1646, 1659, 1669, 1736 and 1809 are included under the topic Early Tatan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tatan Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Tatan are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Tatan include: Tatton, Tatten, Tattin, Tattone, Tattan, Taton, Taten, Tayton, Taytton, Taitten, Teyton, Teitton, Tetton, Tettin, Tetten, Tettan, Taytone, Teytone, Tattons, Tattens, Tattins, Tattans, Teytons and many more.

Early Notables of the Tatan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Robert Tatton (1606-1669), High Sheriff of Chester between 1645 and 1646, a supporter of King Charles I in the English Civil War, Robert is perhaps best known for the ultimately unsuccessful defence of...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tatan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tatan family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Tatan or a variant listed above: Molly Tatton settled in New York State in 1849; Joseph Tatton settled in New England in 1646.



  1. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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