Trenchart History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Trenchart family name to the British Isles. Trenchart 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 Trenchart family

The surname Trenchart 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 Trenchart family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Trenchart 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 Trenchart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Trenchart Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Trenchard, Trancherd, Trencher, Trenchar and others.

Early Notables of the Trenchart 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 Trenchart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Trenchart family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Trenchart or a variant listed above: 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 Trenchart 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.