| ![Show Contents]() Durrance History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England Scotland Though shrouded by the mists of time, the chronicles of Scotland reveal the early records of the Norman surname Durrance which ranks as one of the oldest. The history of the name is interwoven within the colorful plaid of Scottish history and is an intrinsic part of the heritage of Scotland. Early Origins of the Durrance familyThe surname Durrance was first found in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Salop, where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Durrance familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Durrance research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1140, 1296, 1632 and 1692 are included under the topic Early Durrance History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Durrance Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Durand, Durant, Durande, Durrane and others. Early Notables of the Durrance familyAnother 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Durrance Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Durrance 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: Durrance Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Miss Durrance, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1863 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Durrance (post 1700) | + |
- Samuel Thornton Durrance Ph.D. (1943-2023), American scientist who flew aboard two NASA Space Shuttle missions as a payload specialist
- Lieutenant Frank M. Durrance Jr., of the U.S. Navy Reserve, American navigator for the United States Geological Survey in 1967, eponym of Durrance Inlet, along the Princess Martha Coast of Antarctica
- John Randall "Jack" Durrance (1912-2003), pioneering American rock climber and mountaineer
- Thomas L. Durrance, American college football halfback for the Florida Gators of the University of Florida from 1969 to 1971
- Richard "Dick" Henry Durrance (1914-2004), American 17-time national championship alpine ski racer
- Neil L. Durrance, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 26th District, 2010; Candidate for Mayor of Denton, Texas, 2012 2
|
Durrance migration to New Zealand 
