Show ContentsTardieu History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of notable family names, including that of the distinguished Tardieu family. Originally, the people in this region went by one (personal) name. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. These names then began to become "fixed" or hereditary between the generations. One of the types of names adopted as surnames were those derived from nicknames. Nicknames, or "eke-names," were an added name that generally reflected some physical characteristics or other attribute of the person that used the name. The Tardieu surname derives from the Old French word "tardif," meaning "slow;" and as such was a nickname for a sluggish person.

Early Origins of the Tardieu family

The surname Tardieu was first found in Berry, a former province until 1790 when it became a region in central France where this eminent family held a family seat in the honor of the seigneurie of Bordesoulle.

"Guillotus Tardivel more than once appears in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of the end of the twelfth century." [1]

Early History of the Tardieu family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tardieu research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1810 is included under the topic Early Tardieu History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tardieu Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tardiff, Tardif, Turdif, Turdiff, Terdif and many more.

Early Notables of the Tardieu family

More information is included under the topic Early Tardieu Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tardieu Ranking

In France, the name Tardieu is the 1,165th most popular surname with an estimated 4,732 people with that name. [2]


United States Tardieu migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tardieu Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jean Tardieu, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1700 [3]


  1. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)


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