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Durant History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Durant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Italy
Scotland

The region of Dauphine, in the French Alps, was the ancestral homeland of the prestigious surname Durant. The surname Durant is a nickname surname, which belongs to the category of surnames known as hereditary surnames. This particular surname was originally derived from the Old French word durant, which means enduring. It was a nickname commonly used for a stubborn, unbending person. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character.

Early Origins of the Durant family

The surname Durant was first found in Dauphiny (French: Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois), a former province in southeastern France, where the family dates back to as early as 1095 when a member of the De Durand family took part in a Crusade. Ponce De Durant and Humbert, his brother, are mentioned in two charters dating 1188 and 1205.

Many members of this ancient family took part in the wars of their times, protecting the King and their country, for which they were rewarded with lands and titles. The son of Ponce, Pierre I De Durant (1175-1256) was a Lord who controlled much land in Chabeuil. In 1380, Noble Simon is mentioned in the ancient archives as a taxpayer and landowner. A prominent member of the family, Reymond De Durand served with distinction in the armies of Louis XI and of Charles VIII and in consideration of his loyal services, the latter King granted him the title of Guard of the castle of Perpignan in 1485, at which time the castle was of great importance for the State.

Charles Durand, Gentleman of the Chamber, married Anne de Bonne de Sénégas in 1566 and their grand-son, Charles, was the Baron of Sénégas and the ancestor of the Marquis of Sénégas. The majority of the members of the Durand family held lands and titles.

Nicolas Durand, born in 1637, son of Pierre and Nicole (née Prevost), travelled from France to Canada in the 17th century. After arriving in Quebec he married Françoise Gausse, daughter of Maurice and Marguerite (née Blay), on 12th September 1661. They remained together in Beauport, Quebec until Françoise passed away on 9th March 1714. 1

Early History of the Durant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Durant research. Another 24 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1589, 1600, 1680, 1721, 1763, 1789, 1814 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Durant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Durant Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Durand, Durant, Durrand, Durrant, Durant, Durrant, Durend, Durrend, Durent, Durrent, Duran, Durran, Duranc, Durranc, De Durand, De Durant, Duranti, De Durand, De Durant, Durante, Durrante, Durande and many more.

Early Notables of the Durant family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Jean-Etienne Duranti who received his Doctorate of Law, became the Attorney General, and the President of the Parliament of Toulouse, but was murdered by members of a league on February 16, 1589. His...

Durant Ranking

In the United States, the name Durant is the 2,471^st most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 2 However, in France, the name Durant is ranked the 395^th most popular surname with an estimated 10,756 people with that name. 3

Durant migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Durant Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Durant, who arrived in Maryland in 1648 4
Jo Durant, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 4
Tho Durant, who landed in Virginia in 1654 4
George Durant, who arrived in North Carolina in 1661 4
An Durant, who arrived in Virginia in 1665 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Durant Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Geo Peter Durant, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 4

Durant Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Durant, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1822 4
Thomas Durant, who arrived in New York, NY in 1827 4
Domingo Durant, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
Emanuel Durant, aged 45, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1851 4
Gabriel Durant, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1854 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Durant migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Durant Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Jean Durant, aged 21, who landed in Canada in 1657
Mr. Jean Durant, French labourer travelling to Canada to work for Antoine Grignon, Pierre Gaigneur, and Jacques Massé, arriving on 3rd March 1657 5

Durant Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. William Durie U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 6

Durant migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Durant Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Durant, English convict who was convicted in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Susannah Durant, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1847 8

Durant migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Durant Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Elizabeth Durant, (b. 1833), aged 32, Cornish settler departing on 17th April 1865 aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 9
Miss Elizabeth Durant, (b. 1864), aged 7 months, Cornish settler departing on 17th April 1865 aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 9
Miss Margaret Durant, (b. 1863), aged 2, Cornish settler departing on 17th April 1865 aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 9
Mr. Thomas Durant, (b. 1834), aged 31, Cornish blacksmith departing on 17th April 1865 aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 9
Mr. Thomas Durant, (b. 1861), aged 4, Cornish settler departing on 17th April 1865 aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Durant (post 1700) +

William James Durant (1885-1981), American author who shared the 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction with his wife Ariel and later was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ford in 1977
William Crapo "Billy" Durant (1861-1947), American leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, founder of General Motors and Chevrolet
Ariel Durant (1898-1981), American author who shared the 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction with her husband Will and later was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ford in 1977
Kenneth W. Durant (1919-1942), United States Navy sailor killed in action on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 3 November 1942, eponym of the USS Durant (DE-389)
Joseph Scott Durant (b. 1964), American professional PGA golfer
Michael J. "Mike" Durant (b. 1961), American pilot and author who was held prisoner for eleven days in 1993, recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star with Valor Device, Purple Heart, and many other honors
Don Durant (1932-2005), born Donald Allison Durae, an American actor and singer, best known for his role as the gunslinger-turned-sheriff in the CBS Western series Johnny Ringo (1959-1960)
Darian Bernard Durant (b. 1982), American CFL quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Thomas Clark Durant (1820-1885), American financier and railroad promoter, vice-president of the Union Pacific in 1869
Kevin Wayne Durant (b. 1988), American professional NBA basketball player
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Durant family +

HMS Dorsetshire

Bryan Cecil Durant, British Lieutenant Commander Navigation aboard the HMS Dorsetshire (1945) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 10

The Durant 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: Fert patriae facilem annonam
Motto Translation: Brings the country an easy market

Citations +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Debien, Gabriel. Liste Des Engagés Pour Le Canada Au XVIIe Siècle. Vol. 6, Laval University, 1952. (Retreived 24th May 2018). Retrieved from https://lebloguedeguyperron.wordpress.com/2016/06/30/130-liste-des-contrats-dengagement-pour-la-nouvelle-france-releves-a-la-rochelle-entre-1634-et-1679/
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DAVID MALCOLM 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847DavidMalcolm.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html