Show ContentsTouchette History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Touchette surname was taken on from any of several places so named, especially in Western France.

Early Origins of the Touchette family

The surname Touchette was first found in Notre Dame du Touchet, near Mortaine, in Normandy. "The ruins of the old castle are still visible near the parish church: and the race of its ancient possessors is not extinct." 1

"In 1082 Ursinus de Touchet was granted lands to the Church of St. William, Maortaine." 2

"The family of Touchet," says Collins, "hath been of great note, and came in with William the Conqueror, as is very evident, the name being on the Roll of Battle Abbey and in the Chronicles of Normandy." Its representative in the martial reign of Edward III. was Sir John Touchet, who married Joan, eldest daughter and eventually sole heir of James, Lord Audley of Heleigh, and thus secured to his descendants the inheritance of the ancient Barony of Audley. 3

Toget appears on the Roll of Battle Abbey, but was later Anglicized as "Tuchet." 1 The first record of the family in ancient Britain was Joceline Touchet who was seated in Cheshire temp. William I (during the reign of William I, the Conqueror.) He was father of Henry and his son, Henry was granted the village of Tattenhall by Ralph Gernons, the Earl of Chester. 2

"Audley [in Staffordshire] gives the title of Baron to the family of Touchet." 4

Little is known of the family until the 14th century when Sir John Tuchet (1327-1371) was listed. He married Joan Audley (1331-1393,) daughter of James Audley, 2nd Baron Audley to become the 3rd Baron Audley. His son John Tuchet (1371-1408) was the 4th Baron Audley and the 1st Baron Tuchet.

"The family of Tuchet, or Touchet, is very ancient in [Somerset]. William was summoned to Parliament as the first Baron Audley from 1299 to 1306." 5

Early History of the Touchette family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Touchette research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1313, 1371, 1408, 1409, 1459, 1465, 1491, 1497, 1549, 1558, 1617, 1638, 1684, 1689 and 1963 are included under the topic Early Touchette History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Touchette Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Touchet, Touchett, Touchette, Le Touchet, Le Touchett, Le Touchette, Touche and many more.

Early Notables of the Touchette family

Notable amongst the family in this period was James Touchet seventh Baron Audley (1465?-1497), descended from Adam de Aldithley or Audley, who lived in the reign of Henry I, and is considered the first Baron Audley or Aldithley. James Touchet Baron Audley of Hely or Heleigh, third Earl of Castlehaven (1617?-1684), was the eldest son and heir of Mervyn, lord Audley, second earl of Castlehaven...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Touchette Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Touchette Ranking

In the United States, the name Touchette is the 15,033rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 However, in Quebec, Canada, the name Touchette is ranked the 662nd most popular surname. 7


Touchette migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Touchette Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Joseph Touchette, who arrived in America in 1787 8
Touchette Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Joseph Touchette, aged 24, who settled in America, in 1920
  • Mary Flora Touchette, aged 39, who immigrated to the United States from Le Havre, in 1921
  • Joseph I. Touchette, aged 37, who immigrated to New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1923

Touchette migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Touchette Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • J. K. Touchette, aged 43, who immigrated to Casselmar, Ontario, in 1913

Contemporary Notables of the name Touchette (post 1700) +

  • Marc Touchette, Canadian politician, Borough councillor for Champlain–L'Île-des-Sœurs (2005-2009)
  • Antoine Touchette, Canadian actor
  • Pierre Touchette, Canadian Gemini nominated producer


  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. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Oliver, George, Collections Illustrating the History of the Catholic Religion in the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wilts, and Gloucester London: Charles Dolman, 61, New Bond Street, 1857. Print
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  8. 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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