Tranchard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The Norman Conquest of 1066 added many new names to the island of Britain. Tranchard is a name for a soldier. Looking back even further, we found the name was originally derived from the Old French word trenchire, meaning a swordsman, soldier, or man of war.

Early Origins of the Tranchard family

The surname Tranchard was first found in Dorset where they were granted the lands of Hordhill in the Isle of Wight by Baldwin de Ripariis to Paganus Trenchard and his heirs about 1100 A.D. The grandsons of Paganus, Robert, Alexander and Hugh Trenchard, witnessed the deed.

Early History of the Tranchard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tranchard research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1509, 1582, 1586, 1588, 1613, 1621, 1625, 1640, 1657, 1662 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Tranchard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tranchard Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Tranchard were recorded, including Trenchard, Trancherd, Trencher, Trenchar and others.

Early Notables of the Tranchard family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Trenchard (1586-1662), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons, Member of Parliament for Wareham (1621-1625); Sir Thomas Trenchard (1582-1657) of Wolverton...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tranchard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tranchard family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Tranchard arrived in North America very early: Symon Trencherd, who settled in Virginia in 1637. Attorney General George Trenchard of New Jersey settled there in 1686; he was from Somerset in England, he was succeeded by Edward Trenchard of New York City. In Newfoundland, Benjamin Trencher was a blacksmith of Lower Island Cove in 1838.

The Tranchard Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nosce Teipsum
Motto Translation: Know thyself.