Contents [hide]

Torrens History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Torrens History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Early Origins of the Torrens family

The surname Torrens was first found in Stirlingshire. The name is a habitation name from either East Kilbride or north of Glasgow where it is derived from the Gaelic word "torran" which means "hillock" or "mound" or "little hills." 1

"John Torrance is recorded in Nethir Cloychtquharne in 1555, and John Torrance was a tenant of Newbattle Abbey in 1563. The name also occurs in Edinburgh in 1561 as Torrens. David Torrance (1840-1906), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Connecticut, U. S., was born in Edinburgh." 2

Early History of the Torrens family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Torrens research. Another 132 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1690, 1780, 1864 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Torrens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Torrens Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Torrance, Torrens, Torrence and others.

Early Notables of the Torrens family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

General Sir Henry Torrens

Migration of the Torrens family to Ireland

Some of the Torrens family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 123 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Torrens migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Torrens Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Cristobal Torrens, aged 18, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1803 3
John Torrens, who settled in Philadelphia in 1813
Aaron Torrens, who settled in Philadelphia in 1823
James Torrens, who settled in Philadelphia in 1826
Mamid Torrens, aged 27, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1826 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Torrens Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Henry Torrens, aged 30, who landed in America from Derry, in 1906
James Torrens, aged 35, who landed in America from Derry, Ireland, in 1907
Daniel Torrens, aged 28, who immigrated to America from Donegal, Ireland, in 1907
Frances Torrens, aged 24, who settled in America from London, England, in 1910
J.R. Torrens, aged 33, who immigrated to America from London, England, in 1910
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Torrens migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Torrens Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ann Archibald Torrens, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1830

Torrens Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Alexander Torrens, aged 81, who settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, in 1911
Frederick Torrens, aged 11, who settled in Oshawa, Canada, in 1912
Grace Torrens, aged 21, who settled in Oshawa, Canada, in 1912

Torrens migration to Australia +

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

Torrens Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Robert Richard Torrens, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Brightman" in 1840 4
Barbara Ainslie Torrens, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Brightman" in 1840 4

Torrens 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:

Torrens Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Torrens, (b. 1840), aged 23, British farm labourer travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Brothers Pride" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863 5
Elizabeth Torrens, aged 17, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jessie Osborne" in 1867
Isabella Torrens, aged 14, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jessie Osborne" in 1867
Mr. John Torrens, (b. 1825), aged 49, Irish carpenter from Derby, born in Londonderry travelling from London aboard the ship "Tweed" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 4th September 1874 6
Mrs. Mary Anne Torrens née McConaghy, (b. 1826), aged 49, Irish settler born in Ireland travelling from London aboard the ship "Tweed" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 4th September 1874 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Torrens (post 1700) +

James H. Torrens (1874-1952), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from New York 21st District, 1944-47 7
Robert Torrens OBE (1948-2021), Irish cricketer, coach and manager of the Ireland cricket team between 2004 and 2016
Sir Henry Torrens (1779-1828), British Major-General, Colonel of the 2nd (Queen's) foot, Adjutant-General of the Forces
Sir Arthur Wellesley Torrens (1809-1855), British Major-General, second son of Major-General Sir Henry Torrens
Henry Whitelock Torrens (1806-1852), English Foreign Office worker who assisted in the editing of the Calcutta Star, a weekly paper in 1839, Vice-President to the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1843–1845)
Lieutenant General Sir Henry D'Oyley Torrens KCB KCMG (1823-1889), British army officer, Governor of Cape Colony in 1886 and Governor of Malta in 1888
William McCullagh Torrens (1813-1894), Irish Liberal politician and member of the House of Commons for various English constituencies
Robert Torrens (1775-1856), Irish jurist, nicknamed "the notorious hanging Judge Torrens"
Major-General Sir Henry Torrens KCB (1779-1828), Irish Adjutant-General to the Forces, brother of Robert Torrens, judge of the Court of Common Pleas
Colonel Robert Torrens FRS (1780-1864), Irish Royal Marines officer, political economist, Member of Parliament, owner of the Globe newspaper and prolific writer; one of the founders of South Australia
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRIGHTMAN 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Brightman.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html